Two brand new prints, inspired by my Brands International recent series of work. Hot off the press and ready to sashay their way into the World. Both editions are now available to buy in the shop
I really enjoyed creating my own version of these brands, which I made first as collages, using paint, hand drawing and cutting paper and bank notes to approximate their imagery. The prints feature images of Chinese Yuan (Gucci) and North Korean Won (Hermès), which over the wider collage series were chosen variously for their colour and or political heft.
The idea of Luxury as marketing tool has become ubiquitous . Whilst these are design led companies, many luxury brands align themselves strongly with art and the artworld as a way of adding value and cultural currency. As an artist it was interesting to subvert that and play with the brands in my own work, and reflect back questions, not just around the ethics of conspicuous consumption and desirability, but also ideas of authenticity and exclusivity, the genuine and fake. It is interesting that the unaffordability of these labels make them so aspirational as to create an entire black market, so people can buy something they often know is not real, but which is nevertheless is real enough. It is almost as if the logo itself has become a sort symbol of currency like a pound sign or dollar.
Brands International – Hermés