Ron English is a contemporary pop artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising.
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Work
One aspect of his work involves 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel, McDonalds, and Mickey Mouse. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of agit-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate iconographies so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English is considered one of the fathers of modern street art and has initiated and participated in illegal public art campaigns since the early eighties. Some of his extralegal murals include one on the Berlin Wall's Checkpoint Charlie in 1989 and one on the Palestinian separation wall in the West Bank in 2007, with fellow street artists Banksy and Swoon.
Ron English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House". Some of his paintings are also used in Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me. During the 2008 Presidential Election, he combined the features of Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln for a popularly-distributed image entitled "Abraham Obama."[1]
Songs In English is the world's first blog-as-you-go recording project. It is based on the lyrics of World Renowned Ron English and Brooklyn songwriter Jack Medicine. The project is being arranged and produced by the high energy rock stylings of Velvet Rut.
English has also collaborated with Daniel Johnston and Jack Medicine in the Hyperjinx Tricycle project.[2]
Inspiration
English takes inspiration from Andy Warhol and references him in his work. He also references the band KISS, and various cartoons. Also inspiration comes from the large billboards and posters he sees outside his city apartment, usually fast food companies.
English also references Picasso's Guernica. He has created dozens of versions, transforming the original Spanish civilian characters into Disney characters, Peanuts characters, soccer players, schoolchildren, and many others. He also painted the world's largest version of Guernica at the Station Museum in Houston. It is one foot longer and one foot wider than Picasso's original and features schoolchildren playacting the violent scene of the original.
Fame
English is now the subject of a Pedro Carvajal documentary entitled Popaganda named after one of his art books. He is also a subject of "The Art Army" action figures by Michael Leavitt.
References
- ^ Drake, John C. (2008-07-08). "Street artist inspires too much enthusiasm". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/07/08/street_artist_inspires_too_much_enthusiasm/.
- ^ Dodero, Camille (2008-11-14). "Ron English Might Still Have That Last Unreleased Wesley Willis Record". Village Voice. http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2008/11/ron_english_on.php.
External links
- Popaganda
- VIDEO Ron English talks about his work on ABC FORA]
- Opera Gallery Collection
- Ron English - Surreal Art Collective
- Songs In English - Music Project
- studioapart.com
- Interview on the Scion Website
- Fringe Galleries
- Ron English: Abraham Obama DVD Trailer
- Group show of street art curated by Ron English
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