Wax Lord Museum 2021

Curator: This artwork, called "Wax Lord Museum," was created by Cricorps in 2021, employing a combination of drawing, acrylic paint, and ink on paper. It definitely has a distinct style. Editor: Immediately striking! It's... confrontational, almost grotesque. The jagged lines, the crude rendering, the sheer bloody spectacle – it creates an unsettling tension. Curator: The artist’s use of caricature suggests a pointed commentary, doesn't it? There is something very dark comic here and it has undertones about recent global events and political satire. Editor: Precisely. The visual language relies heavily on stark contrast, not just of color but also of texture. The smooth surfaces of the implied wax figures are juxtaposed with the harsh strokes suggesting violence. The title hints at something, is it all just spectacle to enjoy at a safe remove, like in a museum? Curator: Indeed. One could argue that Cricorps is commenting on the aesthetics of power. The Wax Lord’s gilded attire signifies opulence, but the surrounding imagery is explicitly critical of that opulence. Note the sharp contrast between the subject's clothing, his hands covered in what appears to be blood, and even his yellow complexion, making him seem almost unwell. This seems a potent image regarding leadership and public spectacle. Editor: It is also compelling for its disjunctive planes. It looks flat and disorganized, yet the subject’s looming presence cannot be ignored. There’s also something of children's book illustrations in its execution, even, giving the message an uneasy feel of familiarity, like it has always been there. The heavy ink lines further enhance the two-dimensionality. Curator: I think this sense of flatness enhances its effectiveness as a piece of social commentary. The cartoonish, intentionally amateur rendering brings immediacy. Editor: Yes, almost like political graffiti. I wonder about the use of the different medium to further add emphasis? I suspect each aspect could convey symbolic intent. Curator: It will surely make viewers reflect on the social implications of power. Editor: A powerful, yet difficult work that leaves me strangely disturbed. Curator: Yes, a powerful, challenging reflection on contemporary power structures.