The art of Josh Keyes
August 17, 2009 10:39 PM Subscribe
Animals isolated in dystopian tableaux.
Such pedestrian images.
A real slice of life, if you will.
posted by Rhaomi at 11:08 PM on August 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
A real slice of life, if you will.
posted by Rhaomi at 11:08 PM on August 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
I was gonna say, "those deer don't belong there, kill them," but then I decided that these are really good. Thanks!
posted by not_on_display at 11:19 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by not_on_display at 11:19 PM on August 17, 2009
I wish the "Installations" section was more extensive. The deer sculpture are haunting.
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:23 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:23 PM on August 17, 2009
That octopus is making a very rude gesture at that bear.
posted by louche mustachio at 11:25 PM on August 17, 2009
posted by louche mustachio at 11:25 PM on August 17, 2009
Vine-antlered deer and grass-backed buffalo. I must add them to my Pokédex.
posted by Hollow at 12:04 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by Hollow at 12:04 AM on August 18, 2009
I like the clear progression of style and technique from the earlier paintings at the bottom to the newer ones at the top. I also especially liked the "exhale" series.
posted by Nomiconic at 1:06 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by Nomiconic at 1:06 AM on August 18, 2009
So this is what encyclopaedia illustrators do in their off-time.
posted by Happy Dave at 2:08 AM on August 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Happy Dave at 2:08 AM on August 18, 2009 [2 favorites]
So this is what encyclopaedia illustrators do in their off-time.
I agree, a rare compliment. From his biography "the color and diagrammatic complexity one might find in cross section illustrations from a vintage science textbook."
posted by tellurian at 4:25 AM on August 18, 2009
I agree, a rare compliment. From his biography "the color and diagrammatic complexity one might find in cross section illustrations from a vintage science textbook."
posted by tellurian at 4:25 AM on August 18, 2009
Excellent. Reminds me of those countless posts we've had lately of photos of decaying Detroit.
posted by HeroZero at 5:00 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by HeroZero at 5:00 AM on August 18, 2009
It reminds me of some of Banksy's more recent works (after he moved on from stencils to pastiches of landscape paintings and animatronic cosmetic-testing bunnies).
posted by acb at 5:14 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by acb at 5:14 AM on August 18, 2009
A lot of the detail shots seem to be of the "see? see what I did there?" variety, but apart from that aspect of the presentation I liked the paintings.
posted by jedicus at 6:49 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by jedicus at 6:49 AM on August 18, 2009
Is it me, or does anyone else see that this guy's work would make a great double-header exhibit with Brad Bird?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:34 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:34 AM on August 18, 2009
Great stuff. Thanks for the link.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:00 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 9:00 AM on August 18, 2009
It's not often that art actually succeeds in making me feel a little off-kilter. I didn't quite know what to make of it, I couldn't even write it off to 'whimsy'.
The execution is superb. The repetition of motif outstanding. It somehow is extraordinarily humorous, but it's not self parody at all. There is a very dark undercurrent, a sense of foreboding. The word 'dystopian' is well-chosen, tellurian.
I like how the artist played with form and let it suggest function, as in this image.
Remarkably unique.
posted by Xoebe at 9:26 AM on August 18, 2009
The execution is superb. The repetition of motif outstanding. It somehow is extraordinarily humorous, but it's not self parody at all. There is a very dark undercurrent, a sense of foreboding. The word 'dystopian' is well-chosen, tellurian.
I like how the artist played with form and let it suggest function, as in this image.
Remarkably unique.
posted by Xoebe at 9:26 AM on August 18, 2009
Why are these not tattooed on my flesh? These are great.
posted by chairface at 11:37 AM on August 18, 2009
posted by chairface at 11:37 AM on August 18, 2009
Hmmm... I like that I'm not sure if I like this. Is it too direct? Too preachy? It's certainly not predictable.
Sometimes, when it's most preachy, the message isn't really clear. It's like an ambivalent sermon.
Oh wait I think it just solidified. He talks about that Boli that affected him so much. It's really the same thing. These once-native animals are coated and encrusted with dried layers of our own culture's meaning, waste, and reverence and now exist in a way that they never did before. And never will again, for that matter.
What does it is that he doesn't pass judgment on any of this himself. At least not in the paintings.
That said, I think the installations are somewhat lacking in their execution compared to the actual paint of the paintings.
posted by cmoj at 2:24 PM on August 18, 2009
Sometimes, when it's most preachy, the message isn't really clear. It's like an ambivalent sermon.
Oh wait I think it just solidified. He talks about that Boli that affected him so much. It's really the same thing. These once-native animals are coated and encrusted with dried layers of our own culture's meaning, waste, and reverence and now exist in a way that they never did before. And never will again, for that matter.
What does it is that he doesn't pass judgment on any of this himself. At least not in the paintings.
That said, I think the installations are somewhat lacking in their execution compared to the actual paint of the paintings.
posted by cmoj at 2:24 PM on August 18, 2009
These are excellent. Thanks for sharing them.
The images hold, for me, the eery silence of human extinction.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 2:49 PM on August 18, 2009
The images hold, for me, the eery silence of human extinction.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 2:49 PM on August 18, 2009
Sort of J.G. Ballard meets John James Audubon. I think I like it.
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2009
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 7:57 PM on August 18, 2009
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posted by uni verse at 10:51 PM on August 17, 2009