Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Lost Girls















A series of prints I've just finished for SPRING's THREADED show in DUMBO. Each measures 24" X 36" and is a archival giclée print on heavy weight canvas, embroidered w/rayon floss, stretched and mounted. Prices furnished upon request.


Statement:
A few years ago, I was hired by a rather high end, psuedo-scientific cosmetics company to design
a limited edition "art box" filled w/ anti-aging unguents for their holiday season. Never one to shy away from incorporating a subversive message into my work while shilling for THE MAN, I came up with the custom toile design of The Lost Girls inspired by JM Barrie's characters from Peter Pan: little boys dressed in animal costumes who are afraid to grow up. The client presented the initial designs to it largest retailer, they were horrified and I was promptly fired. Revisiting the toile later on, it occurred to me that the cosmetics metaphor can very easily be carried through to my noncommercial work whereby embroidery is applied to a preexisting traditional print in order to make the original design more appealing, relevant and desirable to modern tastes. The stitch thus becomes a superficial application that changes the form of the whole in an attempt to first conceal and then appeal to The Other: Pretty, Fresh, New & Young!

4 comments:

Diane Field said...

Beautiful new work!

Anonymous said...

Richard,
I am in love with The LostGirls!
You are a wonder.
your fan,
Melissa

Mélanie said...

I'm a fan .
That makes me think about Fornesetti.
Wonderful creation

Richard Saja said...

"I love that picture. I know it's real."