PLAYING CATCH-UP WITH THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN: If you keep up with Vancouver-based artist/illustrator Patrick Wong (oh, you must) there's no doubt you have witnessed first hand his regular succession of unique releases over the past year. Those have included (+ upcoming) his many fine illustrations as well as all of the forward. He's created the popular 3.5" vinyl Fonzo line (which we must honestly catch up with soon), brought the Beats series alive (these are the cool Moog-like and soundboard instrument characters) and then come his original sculptural pieces like the anticipated 'Emblem Of Abstract Riot' (our wheelhouse 101%) which reduces a favorite cartoon character down to a single limb, clutching a molotov cocktail. His work occupies that delicate space that is all too re-defined between hi/lo art. Labels aside, the latter shows off the artist's subversive and conceptal side, just like his currently available and unique (yes, that's 1 of 1) sculptural work: Transplant (Flesh Version). where he references the essay On the Rights of the Molotov Man authored by Joy Garnett and Susan Meiselas.
SPLIT @ BIRTH? Jason Freeny's tribute to MTV's 35th Anniversary (just announced)
JUST LET YOUR MIND PLAY TRICKS ON YOU: I decided to put up an image of work just announced by Jason Freeny, a contemporary of Wong's, which is a salute to MTV's 35th Anniversary. It's worth contemplating the similarities, and polar ends. The brain is a great thing to ponder, yes? We live in a world full of ideas that are reinterpreted, reduced, fictionalized and regurgitated at times. Both works here make a statement, and visually use the most important human organ as a catalyst to develop subtle, dramatic impossibilities. While we are seeing a lot of current visions of the anatomical within the designer toy realm Wong's 8.25" x 9" x 6.5" work navigates a bit of a new space for the artist that focuses on a singular internal organ to defy the flow of information, and storage thereof in our most virtual age. We enjoy his sense of mash-up and as he stated to me part of his intent "to undermine the Modernist myth of the sole author....Barthes 'the Death of an Author' would be a starting point."
It's a delightful, cerebral titilation on the portability of the human mind (or the disposable nature of real intelligence)? The piece, constructed of urethane painted in acrylics gives one solitary collector the opportunity to own a gallery-style work that has been used in prior installation (as seen in the image). More information about this special work can be found here. If you are headed to NYCC, watch for his inclusion in two separate shows: on a Labbit as ye olde Pez in 'Sleep' at Piq's Booth #614, where they are putting on their very own Custom Labbit Show called Confection Affection! On site Wong will also be involved in the anticipated Clutter Magazine x Kidrobot 3rd Annual DTA Dunny Show.
teaser for upcoming NYCC exhibition
Beats series
Emblem Of Abstract Riot (coming soon)
Fonzoworld