Claes Oldenburg

"The Soft Screws" Pop-Art Print by Claes Oldenburg Published by Gemini G.E.L

1956

In the infinitely complex world of contemporary art, many works serve as vehicles for thought, postural statements, and emotion. Such is the case with SHAO QI, a renowned Chinese artist who skillfully blends the political, cultural, and aesthetic in her lithographic work entitled "I am a Ninja." This piece, limited to thirty copies, numbered 21/30 in pencil and dated 2011, is a perfect example of how cross-influences can be integrated and cultural barriers broken down. Historically, ninjas were inferior warriors in feudal Japan, often recruited by samurai and governments to serve as spies. Their mysteriousness has allowed them to infiltrate contemporary popular culture, so much so that their ubiquity eventually transcends borders, internationalizing the ninja and rendering its Japanese origin a simple detail, among others, in public perception, a component of a character that has become universal. Pop art, an artistic movement of the second half of the 20th century, is known for its appropriation and subversion of consumer products and cultural icons. By hijacking elements of mass culture, pop artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein transformed the perception of art and its eligible subjects. The use of a ninja silhouette in "I Am a Ninja" follows this tradition, exploiting a popular symbol to reimagine it. The dynamic interplay of colors, in particular the aesthetic power of red and black, is essential. Red's radiant luminescence contrasts sharply with black's ultimate absorption, framing the work in a colorimetric face-off reminiscent of the propaganda posters of yesteryear. Red, the color of revolution, power, passion, and vitality, blends with black, shadow, and emptiness. The bold black lines that delineate the figure are reminiscent of Shepard Fairey's work under the OBEY signature. These lines convey a vibrant, primitive force akin to Russian Constructivist posters...

Marilyn Manson is an icon, a figure synonymous with controversy within heavy metal music, embroiled in numerous contentious moments throughout his storied career. This signed poster, numbered 158/500, is likely part of the series promoting his 1994 concerts at the Houston International Ballroom. It embodies the vibrant creativity of its era, a time when independent artists infused their unique flair into promotional materials for punk rock and heavy metal gigs. With its captivating blend of colors, specific typography, and arrangement reminiscent of Russian Constructivism and horror movie posters...

Step into the marvelous world of Jonathan Winters, the incomparable American actor whose artistry transcended the stage and screen. Like outsider artists, Winters didn't adhere to fo...

An otherworldly, black and white lithograph in a jigsaw puzzle piece shape, enclosed by negative. Signed L. Siekman. Unframed.

Red Lips, part of Richard's 2016 Hong Kong series, this street photography artwork captures the essence of Kowloon. The bold typography makes cool original pop art. The artwork is a...

The New Year graphisms & 12. 1979, paper, silk screen, 15x21.5 cm Maris Argalis (1954-2008) Born in Riga. 1971. - graduated the Janis Rosenthal Riga Art...

Radioluminescence is the phenomenon by which light is produced in a material by bombardment with ionizing radiation and can be used as a low-level light source for night illumination of instruments or signage or other applications where light must be produced for long periods without external energy sources. Radioluminescent paint used to be used for clock hands and instrument dials...

30 Cents Singapore Orchid, from the Heidler & Heeps Stamp Collection. These historic postage stamps that make up the Heidler & Heeps Stamp Collection, Singapore Series 'Postcards fro...