“a sweet cocktail of blood, bubble gum and motor oil”


Fast and Curious, 2009; motorcycle covered in motor oil, integrated smoke machine, vanilla smoke; variable size

Envoy Enterprises is making art dangerous again. Gallery owner Jimi Dames started taking advantage of New York’s insomnia in February 2009 by putting on 24-hour exhibitions featuring young and unknown artists. The latest installation Oil Now features French artist Théo Mercier in collaboration with his Parisian studio-mate Colin Johnco, an electronic recording artist and record label head.

The installation strikes up a loud conversation on American culture. In rapport with rock icons like Slayer and Pink Floyd, Mercier’s found object pieces present poignant juxtapositions that expose the contradictory nature of life and death, music, and American consumerism. When Mercier describes the collection as a “smiling fist, a sweet cocktail of blood, bubble gum and motor oil,” he’s not just speaking figuratively—that bike is covered in motor oil. The exhibition includes found objects, original photographs, computer generated images, drawings, paintings and subversive text, but the wide variety of media cannot hide Mercier’s fondness of using human hair, as in “Black Pop/Musical Pope” and Oil Now’s “The Fast and the Curious.” Mercier recycles the ordinary, from the wavy locks flowing off his pieces to the grid of flea-market finds that comprise his nod to Pink Floyd's “The Wall.”


Deader Than Punk, 2009; embroidered wood carpet with patches, pins; 70x92"

Opening Thursday, June 4th
Envoy Enterprises
131 Chrystie Street
6 to 8 pm, with an after party downstairs at 8.

Oil Now will be on display June 4 to July 12.

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POP UP ART

Friday night promises one of Envoy Enterprises’ 24-hour specialties. Martynka Wawrzyniak’s “Kids” will debut a series of pouty and emotionally complex child portraits where certainly no subject was coerced to say ‘cheese.’


1 comment:

pregnancy said...

her eyes is very big and gorgeous. small girl.

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