Going Places 2002

Curator: Standing before us is "Going Places," a 2002 oil painting by Mark Kostabi. Editor: It’s surreal. Immediately, my eyes are drawn to that figure with an apple for a face—very Magritte meets urban anxiety. Curator: Indeed. Kostabi's works often blend elements of Surrealism and Pop Art. The painting speaks to the socio-political climate around the turn of the millennium, reflecting on themes of identity and displacement within the structures of contemporary urban life. The work appears to be set within the confines of a 6th street subway station. Editor: The layering of styles and that specific pop art-influenced color palette—especially visible in the stylized painting hanging on the wall—makes me think about art's role in the construction of contemporary experience. And this figure? Is this art consumed on display in public space or the very means of our consumption and perhaps erasure in public spaces. The use of oil paints adds texture but seems deliberately smooth, echoing manufactured perfection. What commentary do you think this delivers about commercialization of culture? Curator: I read its impact through the historical lenses of appropriation. There's this postmodern re-staging happening, and I think its impact comes in understanding Kostabi’s commentary of both celebrating and questioning art's value when mass produced in art as it circulates through galleries and the broader culture industries. The bowler-hatted man becomes a blank slate within these industries in urban culture; there are layers here that prompt us to confront this art, itself. Editor: Yes, blank slate… also very “everyman.” There is tension to observe the details, from the texture of the apple to the color saturation of the adjacent image. But ultimately this image serves to mask individuality and commodifies being on the go, just "Going Places," or really going nowhere as your face fades behind the fruit! Curator: So, "Going Places" does just that; it invites us on an ambiguous trip while confronting us about public life and the systems in which it exists. It’s very thought-provoking from this angle. Editor: Absolutely, an interesting look at process, reception, and societal themes of public presence, all while leaving room for us, the audience, to participate in the journey.