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      Ironic Compositions Juxtapose Outlandish Scenarios in Paco Pomet’s New Paintings

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      Art

      #humor
      #oil painting
      #painting
      #satire
      #social commentary
      #surreal

      April 8, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      “The Lesson” (2020), oil on canvas, 130 x 170 centimeters. All images © Paco Pomet, shared with permission
      In Beginnings, Spanish artist Paco Pomet (previously) visualizes a series of jarring and absurd scenarios born out of an equally concerning event. He juxtaposes disparate elements—a mushroom cloud erupting in a classroom, women cavalierly poking at a tabletop sunrise, a mountain range lying on an operating table—in a series of satirical commentaries infused with pop culture references and nods to art history.
      Generally contrasting a black-and-white scene with a recurring, full-color sunrise or sunset, Pomet’s compositions merge time periods and situations to mark the start of a new reality, a broad theme tied to the current moment. “Romanticism with a twist of irony is a very powerful visual engine,” he says about the series.
      If you’re in Santa Monica, Beginnings is on view through May 8 at Richard Heller Gallery. Otherwise, find more of Pomet’s humorous and bizarre compositions on Artsy and Instagram.

      “Little Big Grief” (2020), oil on canvas, 51 1/5 × 66 9/10 inches
      “Hesperides” (2020), oil on canvas, 51 1/5 × 66 9/10 inches
      “Melancholy School” (2020), oil on canvas, 51 1/5 × 59 1/10 inches
      “The Art of Scaling” (2020), oil on canvas, 51 1/5 × 59 1/10 inches
      “Headstrong” (2020), oil on canvas, 23 3/5 × 28 7/10 inches
      “Classicism” (2021), oil on canvas, 60 × 73 inches
      “Das Erhabene Büro (diptych)” (2020), oil on canvas, 59 1/10 × 102 2/5 inches

      #humor
      #oil painting
      #painting
      #satire
      #social commentary
      #surreal

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      Demented Toys by Obvious Plant Confront Harsh Realities and the Mundanity of Life

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      Art
      Design

      #games
      #humor
      #pop culture
      #satire
      #toys

      February 2, 2021
      Grace Ebert

      All images © Obvious Plant
      Unless you want a distraught child, double-check the packaging of your next purchase in case you accidentally snag a one-off toy by Jeff Wysaski, aka Obvious Plant. For years, he’s been littering supermarket and drugstore shelves with his action figures and small games that cleverly comment on capitalism and the harsh realities we all experience, from a birthday for one—it “includes one party blower because that is all you will need”—to a “childless couple” riding matching jet skis. Sometimes parodying pop culture, the elaborate designs are paired with witty copy and a slew of intentional spelling errors, including warnings that “everybody dies, even bird.”
      Many of the subversive products, shirts, and other goods are available in the Obvious Plant shop, although they sell out quickly. To stay up-to-date on the latest designs, follow Wysaski on Instagram.

      #games
      #humor
      #pop culture
      #satire
      #toys

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    • 138 Shares199 Views

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      Subjects Undertake Futile Pursuits in Satirical Paintings by Artist Toni Hamel

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      Art

      #flowers
      #humor
      #nature
      #painting
      #satire

      September 16, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Loves Me Loves Me Not” (2020), oil on canvas, 12 x 12 inches. All images © Toni Hamel, shared with permission
      Based in Oshawa, a suburb of Toronto, artist Toni Hamel (previously) is concerned with human morality—or lack thereof. In her subtly hued artworks, Hamel portrays subjects in the midst of futile and trivial pursuits: children pluck stars from the night sky, a couple attempts to reconstruct a flower after its petals have fallen, and a young family literally watches wet paint dry. Many of the satirical pieces consider socially accepted anthropocentrism and the relationship people have with the surrounding environemnt.
      Since 2017, Hamel has been adding to High Tides and Misdemeanors, an ongoing series that is intentionally political. “It confronts us with the repercussions of our actions and denounces the current thinking models. In this age of alternative realities, ‘fake news’ and a culture that is increasingly more self-absorbed and superficial, I feel that it’s even more important for me to carry on reporting what I must,” she writes.
      Explore more of Hamel’s visual commentaries on culture and politics on Instagram.

      “The Harvest” (2020), oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches
      “The Prototype 1” (2020), oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches
      “The Spill” (2020), oil on canvas, 12 x 10 inches
      “Family Night In Kodachrome” (2020), oil on panel, 12 x 12 inches
      “The Replacement” (2019), oil on canvas, 14 x 18 inches
      “Ikebana 1” (2019), oil on canvas, 18 x 18 inches
      “Ikebana 3” (2020), oil on canvas, 18 x 18 inches

      #flowers
      #humor
      #nature
      #painting
      #satire

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!

       
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