A collection of latest work by Los Angeles-based artist Robert Russell. With an curiosity within the position of pictures in image-making, Russell’s work discover ideas of id, reminiscence, need, authenticity, and all the historical past of portray. Included on this choice are photos from his most lately exhibited “Teacups” sequence. Invoking Memento Mori and Vanitas work, the physique of labor options larger-than-life teacups with intricate floral decorations set towards a subject of black. This mission sparked his curiosity in porcelain, main him to his present mission, which depicts collectible figurines made by the Allach Porcelain Manufacturing firm throughout WWII.
Funded by Heinrich Himmler as a manufacturing facility of the Reich to provide advantageous porcelain objects to provide as presents to SS troopers, the Allach Porcelain Manufacturing firm finally misplaced its labor drive and compelled Jewish prisoners in focus camps to proceed their manufacturing. “Till they have been liberated in 1945, these slaves, residing in unimaginable circumstances, created collectible figurines of things like puppies, sheep, lambs, and excellent aryan youngsters,” Russell explains. “These work are based mostly on public sale lot images of the few remaining and exceedingly uncommon objects. I needed to take these objects again, for myself, to reclaim them as a Jewish artist, and paint them vastly bigger than life, exposing them because the monstrous creations they actually have been.”
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