Squirrel’s Disire 2015

Curator: Well, the first thing that jumps out is... shininess. It’s this jewel-encrusted orb topped by, I believe, a stuffed squirrel? The squirrel has that cartoon glint in its eye. What’s your read? Editor: Immediate impression? A bizarre marriage of the precious and the profane. This intense ornamentation – pearls, chains, antique trinkets – feels like some bygone era's obsession condensed onto a single form, which is violated by these toys. Where did this impulse to juxtapose the luxurious and the kitsch come from? Curator: It’s "Squirrel’s Disire," created in 2015 by Joseph Pace. He works in mixed media and assemblage, so he combines found objects with traditional sculptural elements. It does tickle a part of my brain labeled ‘magpie,’ drawn in by the shiny distractions. Editor: The squirrel, Scrat, he's a primal figure, driven by pure instinct, perched atop a world of borrowed elegance. Do you see the irony of the bourgeois materials? Perhaps the pearls signify acquired and performed grace? I also detect an echo of medieval reliquaries in the shape and accumulation of objects, all protecting a sacred thing. In this case, perhaps a laugh. Curator: I’m also trying to trace a thread to childhood. Found objects, toys...there’s a strong whiff of nostalgia. But is it genuine, or are we supposed to question the very idea of 'authenticity' in art made of cast-offs? This feels like one artist's commentary on the pursuit of wealth through materialism while neglecting your inner child, Editor: You could be right. I'm sensing both. The charm offensive works precisely because it's so blatant, like an overloaded altar to the god of desire. It also plays with the history of symbolic representation and value. Curator: In all honesty, that cheeky squirrel steals the spotlight. A tiny titan atop its shiny world, grasping for a tiny treasure. A bit ridiculous but I also adore that. Editor: Ridiculous, yes, but profoundly human. The piece certainly gives you a lot to chew on. The more I look, the less sense I find – in the best way! Curator: Same here. It leaves you smiling while subtly challenging what beauty can even mean, no?