Ron English
Relevancy:
Ron English doesn’t work with photography; however he does work with popular culture and mass media. He is considered a culture jammer and artist. Looking at his work I feel like I could learn a lot from his execution of his ideas. I typically imitate ads and change the words to say what I think they should say as does Ron with some of his billboard work. Ron also works in another manner by altering the product or mascot to represent his message. By fattening Ronald McDonald he is taking what I do to another level. Like Banksy, Ron has infiltrated the fine art world with his oil paintings propagating his views. I need to study his distribution methods with his posters, billboards and fine art paintings but more importantly I need to learn from his method of reinventing the “product” of ads such as his work with Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald.
About:
Ron English is a painter and culture jammer. He works with popular culture and tries to tell the other side of the story that isn’t told by the media and advertising. When something is perceived as being sanctioned by a corporation he believes most people take it as a voice of authority. Ron displays his work on posters and billboards because of this perception of authority. He believes is work is most interesting when people aren’t sure if he made it or not.
“Ron English (born 1959) is an American contemporary artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising. His signature style employs a mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, including comic superhero mythology and totems of art history, to create a visual language of evolution. He is also widely considered a seminal figure in the advancement of street art away from traditional wild-style lettering and into clever statement and masterful trompe l’oeil based art. He has created illegal murals and billboards that blend stunning visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements, hijacking public space worldwide for the sake of art since the 1980s.”
“Ron English (artist)” Wikipedia. Feb 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_English_%28artist%29>
Interviews / Quotes:
The fat Ronald McDonald was prominently featured in Morgan Spurlock's Oscar-nominated documentary "Super Size Me.''
"I thought it would be funny to show what Ronald McDonald would look like if he really ate at McDonald's every day. He won't be skinny or anything. I did the billboards as if McDonald's were putting them out, so it had a very prankster-ish and playful way,'' English said.”
"I thought it would be funny to show what Ronald McDonald would look like if he really ate at McDonald's every day. He won't be skinny or anything. I did the billboards as if McDonald's were putting them out, so it had a very prankster-ish and playful way,'' English said.”
Garcia, Cathy. “Artist Brings ‘Abraham Obama’ to Seoul” The Korea Times. Oct 2009. Feb 2011. <http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/10/148_53665.html>
“Has your art always been an act of civil disobedience? When did you first realize that your art could be a form of rebellion?” - The Rumpus
“When I moved into a house populated with members of Earth First in Austin, Texas. They were an environmentalist group in the 80s who later were accused of terrorism. They [the accusers] actually kind of slaughtered their group. I think the opposition had some really good tactics to use against them. They weren’t terrorists. They were just more radical than the Sierra Club.” - Ron English
“How did that motivate your work?” - The Rumpus
“ I think they pointed out the possibility that art could do something besides being a diversion.” - Ron English
Greicius, Julie. “The Rumpus Long Interview with Ron English” The Rumpus. Feb 2009. Feb 2011. <http://therumpus.net/2009/02/the-rumpus-interview-with-ron-english/>
Images:
Video:
Artist Interview: http://www.popaganda.com/articles/2009AussieInterview/video_tripleJ_australia.html
Artist Website: http://www.popaganda.com
Artist Representation:
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