RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: MARK JENKINS AND RERO IN MILAN
Wunderkammern starts the new artistic season in its Milan venue with the show Rules of Engagement by artists Mark Jenkins and Rero.
Mark Jenkins (USA, 1970) is famous for his hyperrealistic sculptures of persons, animals and objects placed in the urban space.
Rero’s (France, 1983) work is placed in between urban art and conceptual art, and it is based on language.
In Milan, the two artists present the evolution of their artistic research in relation to the concept: Rules of Engagement.
Rero’s (France, 1983) work is placed in between urban art and conceptual art, and it is based on language.
In Milan, the two artists present the evolution of their artistic research in relation to the concept: Rules of Engagement.
I asked the artists some questions, so that they could explain me the the meaning of their work. That’s what they said to me.
“Room service”. Rero’s intervention at Reggia di Caserta.
Caterina Art post Blog: Mark, your works inhabit cities. They make people smile, think, and capture their attention.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Mark Jenkins: The air.
Caterina ApB: How would you define your style?
Mark Jenkins: I like mid century furniture, taxidermy. I like black because it hides dirt. I have five girls cocooned that are in the crawl space under the house. I hate bright lights. This is my style.
Caterina ApB: Rero, your work is based on words and real space in which you place them.
What artists do you get inspiration from?
What artists do you get inspiration from?
Rero: In contemporary art, Tania Mouraud and in general, around the notion of Double bind developped by Paul Watzlawick.
Caterina ApB: How would you define your style?
Rero: Art In Situ.
This is an intervention by Mark Jenkins in San Sebastian, Spain, 2017.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: THE EXHIBITION
The rules of engagement are regulations or directives issued by a military authority specifying the circumstances, conditions and limitations under which forces can engage in combat with the enemy. Simultaneously, engagement is also the formal agreement to get married.
It is a word that brings together the extremes of emotions, hate and love.
On the one side, it is a process that legitimises and authorises violence and the act of killing.
And on the other side, an existing relationship based on the purest of feelings is validated and made official by engagement.
Building on these concepts, the artists explore the mechanisms of the formalisation of emotions in our contemporary culture.
For the show a series of mixed media artworks will be exhibited, as well as some four-handed installations developed jointly by the two artists.
On the one side, it is a process that legitimises and authorises violence and the act of killing.
And on the other side, an existing relationship based on the purest of feelings is validated and made official by engagement.
Building on these concepts, the artists explore the mechanisms of the formalisation of emotions in our contemporary culture.
For the show a series of mixed media artworks will be exhibited, as well as some four-handed installations developed jointly by the two artists.
INFO
Mark Jenkins and Rero Rero
Rules of Engagement
September 20 – October 28, 2017
WUNDERKAMMERN
Via Ausonio 1A, Milan
FREE ENTRANCE