Good Luck 2021

Curator: Right, let's talk about Jason Limon's "Good Luck" from 2021, done with mixed media. The piece grabs you instantly, doesn't it? Editor: It's deliciously morbid! A kind of cute memento mori. The palette is very contained – teals, blacks and browns—that gives the overall effect an unexpected coziness, if that's possible with skeletons! Curator: Well, the charm lies in the details and how they connect to wider visual culture. Notice how Limon borrows motifs from vintage typography and playing card designs. The skeletons almost feel like afterthoughts amidst all this bold, graphic lettering. He turns these grim symbols of death into whimsical reminders. Editor: You're spot on about the typography. It reminds me of old advertising, you know, the kind that promised miraculous elixirs and sure-fire schemes. And using skeletons as little mascots. It flips the script entirely, from an elite art canon. Curator: Exactly! The composition—it’s separated into almost equal sections – gives the impression of a child’s game of chance, whilst the speech bubbles, filled with phrases like "Good bye" and "Have fun!", lend the work this bizarrely cheerful nihilism. Editor: You put that so well! And notice how the artist presents the imagery on an equal stage: the hand-crafted elements mimicking cardboard almost challenge traditional artistic boundaries, almost a punk or ‘DIY’ gesture. Curator: It is tempting to ask what the artist is trying to tell us about modern capitalism with its pursuit for luck and relentless consumerism. The layered effect invites a slow decode and consideration of themes from fortune to chance. Editor: Absolutely, that hits the spot. I almost forgot to say it's given me a lot to think about. The blending of nostalgia and macabre humor – quite haunting and effective, actually. Curator: Limon creates space to play with darker themes that many might find intimidating at first glance, but that instead evokes humour with careful execution. "Good Luck", what a title to summarise our existential lottery ticket!