This art is a parody of art. More specifically, it parodies paintings by a man making paintings for men. It's a type of painting that pretends to forget that painting was de-gendered in the seventies. There was a time when painting was a "man's game" and people talked about "painting with cocks" at the Cedar Bar. Feminism rightly knocked the wind out of those sails, but what would art today look like with some of that maleness put back in?
The paintings have some of those conflicting qualities found in the contemporary male: over-generalized stereotypes together with personal, internal narratives; and artistic tropes such as fancy frames and flowers combined with a very naive schoolboy aesthetic. This work is about (and seemingly by) the developmentally arrested male painting with his penis again, but this time with a guilty conscience, and with plenty of flair.
Kurt Polkey
Much of the work in this series plays with conventions in both art and culture. At the same time, it plays on our lack of clarity regarding approved gender roles and about the role that art plays in our 21st century lives. We are bombarded with "Masculine Pictures", whatever that means. And the way we find ourselves unsure about how to relate, reminds us of all the other times we've felt this way, recently. These paintings and drawings show the anti-heroic Justini in his semi-heroic poses, beside rich drapery or in front of floral arrangements in the hope that these pieces will touch you, inspire you and maybe even match your decor.
kurtpolkey_gmail.com
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