For the last few months, I've celebrated art that is timeless, celebrated, studied.
Today is about the rest.
This is about one-note art. What do I mean by that? Art that was meant to be purely commerical, utilitarian, enjoyed then discarded. Some of it so bad, that it is celebrated for the attempt. Some of it is also genuinely inspired, and has found a fan in me.
The first example I have is above, an artists' punk impression of the heir to the British throne and his bride. Of all the kitschy mementoes created to commemorate the wedding of the year, this one by far was the most creative and humorous.
Matchbooks haven been collected since they were first produced, and it's easy to see why. So much information about an establishment can be crammed onto such a tiny space. In the biz, it's called the USP (unique selling point), and they did it so well in the 40s and 50s. This one is from lileks.com. What more do you need to know about a pool hall other than the fact you will like their beer?
While not a forgotten artist in the mists of commecrical art, John Held Jr. is still a name reserved only for enthusiasts of his work. I discovered him as a teenager when I was fascinated with the 20s and purchased an old copy of a Vogue cover he designed. He was a cartoonist that depicted the Roaring 20s youth culture with his lollipop figures in rain slickers, raccoon coats, satin ribboned heels, and cloche hats. There is a sense of sweetness and humor in his characters and a vividness one can appreciate nearly 100 years later.
I love the blog Cake Wrecks. It is the compete and utter opposite of all that confection mastery celebrated on Food Network. Preserved for all time on the internet are those sugary mistakes in judgement for our pleasure. The genius is in the humor and truth of these messes. I worked in an office that celebrated so often, I gained 10 pounds consuming cakes for various reasons. Had the business stayed in business, there is no doubt we would have eventually gotten a cake for any reason, like above.
The point is, artists are all around us, creating for one reason or another. The joy is in discovering it and celebrating that little explosion.
No comments:
Post a Comment