Fête Galante, 2004; stenciled pulp painting and silkscreen on double layer of handmade cotton/abaca and pigmented cotton paper with cotton paper tape; 3-D Sculpture; Signed Seliger, dated 2004, and numbered 21/30 in pencil on bottom; Published by Dieu Donné; Size: 17" x 13" x 6 3/4"
Jonathan Seliger is known for his meticulous reproductions/interpretations of mass produced objects, with particular attention paid to everyday packing containers. His artistic use of language is apparent in the titles he choses for his works, and he draws inspiration from mundane and disposable pop imagery of every day life. He takes the Hermes bags from Fifth Avenue and food container boxes from the shelves of the local grocery store and places them together, in the realm of high art. "Dandy" cake cones is a mass produced, shelf life limited, box of ice cream cones that Seliger had very specifically and with great attention to detail managed to photorealistically create. Through this process he has now created the three dimensional work "Fête Galante," 2004; and has now escalated a box of ice cream cones into high art.
According to Wikipedia, "Fête galante (French pronunciation: [fɛːt ɡalɑ̃t]) (courtship party) is a term referring to a category of painting specially created by the French Academy in 1717 to describe Antoine Watteau's (1684–1721) variations on the theme of the fête champêtre which featured figures in ball dress or masquerade costumes disporting themselves amorously in parkland settings." Jonathan Seliger's choice of title for this work demonstrates his use and love of language. By referring back to painting of the 16th century, he gives the work historical context by conveying an artistic lineage for this work.
Photograph of the bottom of the work showing the pencil signature, date, and edition size.
Seliger's creation of a trompe l'oeil version of a "Dandy" cake cones box was not a simple and easy task. The work is composed of stenciled pulp painting and silkscreen, onto a double layer of handmade cotton/abaca and pigmented cotton paper, and with cotton paper tape. This is a wonderful piece of photorealism sculpture, completed in an edition of only 30!
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