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Monthly Archives: February 2020
Mark Whalen – Timia Knott
Mark Whalen is an Australian-born, Los Angeles based artist. His artwork exhibits dark humor and vibrancy. The figures he puts in his pieces interact with space, time and narratives through his paintings and ceramic works.
“Grab Bag” Miniature collection and “Ramble Ramble”
Whalen is inspired to create these pieces based on his ongoing interest that he describes as “Life’s puzzling duality”. The overall feeling of his pieces gives the effect of discomfort or struggle. All of the characters are seen to be in states of work, play, pleasure or pain.
“3 men, 1 net”
- In this piece, Each pastel male or female interacts with the objects around them as if they are struggling to get away or that they feel trapped.
In 2016, Mark Whalen’s work filled Australia’s Chalk Horse gallery. Each piece gives emotion to tension and anxiety based on how the characters react to the objects around them. His paintings, sculptures, and ceramics have been exhibited throughout Australia and internationally. His work is held in the National Gallery of Austalia, Artbank, and numerous other private art collections.
The Chalk Horse Gallery offers insight into Whalen’s pieces by commenting, “The exhibition sums up contemporary anxiety, that you see not only in art but also in fashionable dressing or other activities connected to our identities.” The pieces speak to people because they make people feel as if the characters are struggling with self-exploration which each person has dealt with sometime in there lives.
“Double Knot” and “Tied Up”
- In the first piece, the two characters are sandwiched between three objects held together between a rope. This shows that you shouldn’t feel alone in situations.
- In the second piece, the character is tangled between two ropes and seems to struggle while he looks down at himself. This shows the struggles of anxiety and finding balance in oneself.
“Squeeze” Miniature collection and A picture of Mark Whalen
Takashi Murakami – Nicholas Lynn
Takashi Murakami is a Japanese painter, sculptor, installation artist, curator, and entrepreneur. Murakami was born in Itabashi City, Tokyo, Japan during 1962. He graduated from Tokyo University of the arts in 1993. He is a contemporary artist who was the key founder of the Superflat movement (Rebbeca Sieferle). Superflat’s most defining characteristic is that it shows the shallowness of consumer culture. It is a blend of fine art and commercial art, further pushing consumerism. Alright now that the boring stuff is over, let me tell you why he interests me.
One of the most likable attributes of Murakami is his character. Murakami’s artwork is known to give the viewer positive feelings. The flowers behind him are what he is most known for, and they are always smiling-just like him.
Takashi Murakami for Grailed magazine.
https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/takashi-murakami-fashion-history
Murakami’s enthusiasm and positive demeanor is not the only thing that will catch your eye. He is a huge influence in the fashion culture, and has done many projects with large brands. His style is sure to turn a few heads, and that has led him to work with some of the biggest names within the fashion industry.
Takashi Murakami for Grailed magazine.
railed.com/drycleanonly/takashi-murakami-fashion-history
Here is a show case of a few of Murakami’s largest collaborations within the fashion industry.
Murakami’s collaboration with Louis Vuitton S/S 2004 with Marc Jacobs.
Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2004 Campaign by Marc Jacobs featuring Takashi Murakami collaboration
Murakami x Ovo collaboration 2018.
https://stockx.com/takashi-murakami-x-ovo-hoodie-black?country=US¤cyCode=USD&size=S&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7OnxBRCNARIsAIW53B9wL6R7H8lHr1CYvrGgi00ZhSsVuAmr8URdA9DYocul7YDbjMF4wxUaAu42EALw_wcB
Murakami x Supreme colloboration 2007
https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/06/17/takashi-murakamis-15-collaborations/
Murakami x. Luois Vuitton
https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/06/17/takashi-murakamis-15-collaborations/
Murakami x Kaws colloboration for Christie’s
https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/06/17/takashi-murakamis-15-collaborations/
Murakami x Google for “Solstise”
https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/06/17/takashi-murakamis-15-collaborations/
As you can see, Murakami’s influence on pop culture is astounding. He took the fashion and skate industry by storm, followed by the high-class and pop enthusiasts. All of the works shown above were collaborations with either popular brands or artists. Here is a collection of Murakami’s solo pieces.
727. Takashi Murakami, 1996.
Supernova. Takashi Murakami, 1999.
Blue Flowers and Skulls. Takashi Murakami, 2012.
Murakami’s work is influenced by Japanese pop and anime. I found this really interesting because of how prominent he is in pop culture. Pop culture has not incorporated the Japanese and anime culture until this decade, but it is now extremely prevalent-partly due to Murakami’s role in this. Some of Murakami’s work is more clearly anime inspired-for example..
If you are interested in pop-culture, anime, fashion, skate, and positive expression then I would highly recommenced looking into Murakami more. Thank you.
Takashi Murakami for Macy’s Day Parade in 2010.
https://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/06/17/takashi-murakamis-15-collaborations/
Jeff Koons – Kelby Fischer
Jeff Koons was born in York, Pennsylvania 1955. He received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1976. He had his first solo exhibition in 1980 but has been showcased internationally and holds three spots in the top-ten list of most expensive artwork by living artists. He is most known visually by his larger-than-life colorful, reflective balloon animal depictions. Labeled in the art community as a Neo-pop or post-pop artist, Koons dislikes labels and the idea of his artwork having hidden meanings and wants the view to make their own judgement based on first glance perceptions.
His notable works are Rabbit (1986) which in May 2019 sold for $91.1 million and became the record holder for most expensive artwork by living artists, followed by Balloon Dog (Orange) (1994-2000) one of a five-part series, sold for $58.4 million in November 2013, and then Hanging Heart (Magenta/Gold) (1994-2006) which sold for $23.6 million in November of 2007.
My personal favorite is a piece of Koon’s titled Puppy (1992), a standalone piece that stands permanently installed at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, in Bilbao Spain, made of stainless steel, wood, soil, mesh, an internal irrigation system, and of course living, blooming flowers.
My favorite couple of sculptures of his are in a series called “Antiquity” and convey traditional figures in that “neo-pop” way of bright colors and reflective material.
The reason I chose Jeff Koons is my love for his living sculpture Puppy, and it’s wild nature. No artist can predict how nature is going to grown or change, flourish or die, which makes the essence of the piece uncontrollable beyond the boundaries of the very skeleton of the sculpture. My reasoning behind the selections of statues from the Antiquity series shows the diversity of his sculptures, living flowers incorporated often, from solid granite to shiny metallic figures.