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The Physical Possibility Of Something In The Hyperreality Of An Important Tableau
The works of this series derive their origins from a range of paintings of one of the most famous living artists. Yet, the idea is to re-contextualise the spots depicted on the canvases and explore the controversial theme of artistic appropriation. The project begun with a simple question: What is it left to do for an artist who wants to take part in the fast-changing postmodern artistic debate? More specifically, in an era where we are overwhelmed with images, which we use as communication tools and yet we claim that they have lost all power, what can 2D-artists/image-makers use as a subject of their creations? Keeping in mind that subject is not necessarily synonymous with theme, the re-contextualisation of images - both popular and iconic - seems one of the few viable directions to take. There is obviously a long tradition supporting this decision. In the previous century Duchamp, Picasso, Warhol and Liechtenstein, to name a few, all borrowed images and made them their own through the assignment of new interpretations. Some others, however, have gone further by attributing an ironic meaning to the image. This more Duchamp-esque pictorial tradition has evolved in the postmodern era by accentuating the mocking element, as to demystify the worrisome reality that everything has been painted or photographed in this hectic consumerist era. My idea for this series of paintings is to continue on this same tradition by satirically re-contextualising the plain spots on canvas - themselves appropriated and eventually fetishised over time by more or lesser known artists. Satire becomes the latest sign exchange value of this authentic fake that lives in the realm of the hyperreal. The new arranged or distorted spots also become elements of a new visual narrative that ironically shows the various formal alternatives of an otherwise static tableau. In doing so, I want to make clear that no spots were harmed (neither physically nor emotionally) during the execution of these canvases.
Post scriptum (for those who want to know why I chose this specific image):
Satire, by definition, refers to a literary or artistic genre that has the scope of bringing constructive criticism to society through the use of irony. It reaches its ultimate goal when the mocking element manages to undermine (rather than just tease) the cultural dimension of the target. Coupling satire with my sociological interest for the contemporary art market, the natural target of my research was easy to find. I did very little to undermine the cultural element of original spot-filled canvases. Dedicated extravagant auctions and coordinated around-the-world shows did the job: they transformed the spot-filled artworks into prestigious commercial objects. My only task was to rename the paintings, rearrange the spots or replace them with ironic beans. And let people cogitate about it.
The works of this series derive their origins from a range of paintings of one of the most famous living artists. Yet, the idea is to re-contextualise the spots depicted on the canvases and explore the controversial theme of artistic appropriation. The project begun with a simple question: What is it left to do for an artist who wants to take part in the fast-changing postmodern artistic debate? More specifically, in an era where we are overwhelmed with images, which we use as communication tools and yet we claim that they have lost all power, what can 2D-artists/image-makers use as a subject of their creations? Keeping in mind that subject is not necessarily synonymous with theme, the re-contextualisation of images - both popular and iconic - seems one of the few viable directions to take. There is obviously a long tradition supporting this decision. In the previous century Duchamp, Picasso, Warhol and Liechtenstein, to name a few, all borrowed images and made them their own through the assignment of new interpretations. Some others, however, have gone further by attributing an ironic meaning to the image. This more Duchamp-esque pictorial tradition has evolved in the postmodern era by accentuating the mocking element, as to demystify the worrisome reality that everything has been painted or photographed in this hectic consumerist era. My idea for this series of paintings is to continue on this same tradition by satirically re-contextualising the plain spots on canvas - themselves appropriated and eventually fetishised over time by more or lesser known artists. Satire becomes the latest sign exchange value of this authentic fake that lives in the realm of the hyperreal. The new arranged or distorted spots also become elements of a new visual narrative that ironically shows the various formal alternatives of an otherwise static tableau. In doing so, I want to make clear that no spots were harmed (neither physically nor emotionally) during the execution of these canvases.
Post scriptum (for those who want to know why I chose this specific image):
Satire, by definition, refers to a literary or artistic genre that has the scope of bringing constructive criticism to society through the use of irony. It reaches its ultimate goal when the mocking element manages to undermine (rather than just tease) the cultural dimension of the target. Coupling satire with my sociological interest for the contemporary art market, the natural target of my research was easy to find. I did very little to undermine the cultural element of original spot-filled canvases. Dedicated extravagant auctions and coordinated around-the-world shows did the job: they transformed the spot-filled artworks into prestigious commercial objects. My only task was to rename the paintings, rearrange the spots or replace them with ironic beans. And let people cogitate about it.
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