Cosmic Donut 2008

Kenny Scharf made this “Cosmic Donut” with paint sometime in his life.   I love the way Scharf pairs the infinite with the mundane, he makes paintings that are like pop art explosions. It's this crazy collision of the everyday and the cosmic, you know? Like, a donut in space? He takes something so simple, so mass-produced, and puts it against this backdrop of stars and nebulas.   Look at the details of the chocolate icing, how he uses the highlights and shadows to make it look so shiny and almost gooey. Scharf’s using classical painting techniques, he’s not afraid to show off his skills while putting a donut in space, it's this weird mix of high and low culture that feels very postmodern.   I’m reminded of Wayne Thiebaud, with his cakes and pies; these every day objects given an iconic status through paint. It's an ongoing conversation, this art thing, where one person’s ideas spark something in another. Scharf isn't giving us answers, he's inviting us to imagine.