I've just discovered the work of David Shrigley who is based in the old country, from the north of England near my heartland of Barnsley. I love this piece, it seems a somehow perfect observation of the frustration induced by the ridiculous wishfull thinking of evangelical christians. I have a healthy inbuilt disgust for most if not all religions but the narrow minded pomposity of american born agains takes some beating.
Thanks for the moment of zen, a pandora's box feeling comes to me.
Had met Daniel in New York one evening.
Mr Creed, if that really is your name,
Robert Seidel has just sent us information on his latest work, these living paintings in Jena, Germany seem to me to be physical manifestations of the internal contents. Makes me understand how dull and dumb most exteriors are, and how irrelevant they are to the ideals or contents of the building, just a thought. Thanks Robert.
A Sneak peek so to speak of a new piece to the collection.
This handmade art piece, a limited series of ten, includes 58 logos of mass-market retailers, fast food chains and other corporations that participate in the creation of the contemporary North American identity and condition. Iconic North American brands such as these give us both comfort and identity, yet we feel ambivalent or even negative toward their hegemony over our cultural and economic landscape. It is the problematic balance between familiarity and alienation which this quilt seeks to examine.
With today's increasingly fractured social fabric, it is now brands that give us a feeling of collective identity, heritage, and continuity, gradually taking over the role that family and cultural heritage once held. Our identities are no longer defined by our ancestors and our traditions so much as by multinational corporations who shape our personas through advertising and product placement. The traditional American quilt serves as a living family document, surrounding us both physically and emotionally with the events and the people who came before us. This quilt forces us to question the cultural legacy we are passing along to the next generation.
Joel Yatscoff states, “…this is a very topical product that questions the effects of consumerism in North America. Has this behaviour, and the associations people wish to have with corporate brands so habitual, the American Comfort Quilt is the cherished product to provide warmth and comfort during a chilly evening?”
Conrad Bakker's Untitled Projects appear to be one of the most inspiring series of projects that I've seen this year. His selection and location of mimicry also the roughness of these simulacrums add a distort that for me is the key.
We should do something with this guy.
