Photo: Rodin Eckenroth (Getty Images)
Art and music go hand-in-hand, but both aren’t always a stroll in the park. At their highest form, both art and music are reflections of not just the subject matter, but the meaning underneath.
Unlike movies and television, which are literally in front of our faces, the best art and music can be subversive. More subtle than say the song and dance of La La Land.
Also: Kanye West has Achieved God Status
Plastic Jesus is an artist that gives us what we want — instant Instagram material, but also what we need — a slap to the face.
The Los Angeles-based pop culture provocateur often appears to be trolling (in a fun way) the world of celebrity with his “Oscar snorting coke off a red carpet” statue or “Stop Making Stupid People Famous” stencils, but he’s really holding up a mirror to who we are yet often can’t see because we’re blinded by a phone/computer screen.
Photo: Michael Bezjian (Getty Images)
Plastic Jesus’ latest work is “False Idol”, the gold, life-size Kanye West sculpture that appeared on Hollywood Boulevard this week depicting Yeezus being crucified with outstretched arms, nails in his palms, wearing a crown of thorns and Yeezy Boost 350 sneakers (of course).
Photo by Rodin Eckenroth (Getty Images)
I chatted with Plastic Jesus (who remains anonymous) over the phone, while he was racing around LA prepping for his pop-up gallery exhibition opening this weekend (more details below).
CRAVE: It doesn’t seem like an accident that you’ve unveiled Oscar-related statues the past four years in synch with the Academy Awards ceremonies.
Plastic Jesus: I think the event is great to be honest. It rightly celebrates success and achievement in the entertainment industry, but I think most of what really goes on in Hollywood is glossed over. There’s a dark underbelly. So, when Hollywood is drinking champagne and slapping itself on the back it’s a good time to remind us that there issues that need to be dealt with and tackled.
At first glance, “False Idol” seems to be just a comment on Kanye, but really it’s a reflection on us as a society.
Kayne is a genius. His music writing and production have been on another level for nearly 20 years. Culture and society has built him up to be this god-like figure where everything he touches turns to gold. We then set certain expectations. When an artist like him fail to meet those expectations we crucify them.
True, but Kanye brings a lot of it on himself with his god-like references, calling himself Yeezus and then branding it with an album and tour.
He’s been surrounded by people telling him how wonderful he is and he probably started believing it himself. Sure, he’s played into it and it’s been a big business for him, but we’ve forgotten that he’s still a human being. The media went crazy when he went to a medical facility for stress, anxiety, paranoia. They wanted a pound of flesh.
Photo by Rodin Eckenroth (Getty Images)
When did you come up with the idea for “False Idol”?
I’m trying to think a year ahead of the Oscars so the idea of using a piece which questioned the whole worship of celebrity has been with me. I held onto the idea of Kanye about six months ago.
How did Ginger (the artist who did the naked Trump statues) get involved?
I bumped into Ginger at an art show towards the end of last year and he thought the idea was great. He used his amazing services to create the head.
What’s the execution on a project like this? Do you have a permit?
I don’t even know how to spell “permit.” I think Banksy said ‘it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.’ I got a couple team members to roll up there around 10 o clock, put it down and that was it.
“False Idols” was only up for a day. Where is it now?
We took it off the street yesterday (Wednesday). I didn’t want to leave a Kanye statue on Hollywood Boulevard overnight. I don’t want to think about what might happen to the poor guy.
Kanye probably would have had it summoned to his living room.
(Laughs) Well, it’s here if he wants to make me an offer.
If you missed your chance to get a selfie with the Kanye West statue you can catch it along with Plastic Jesus’ other works this weekend at “Anesthesia: The Art of Oblivion”. The pop-up art show at Gibson Grands Sunset (formerly Tower Records) in Los Angeles is a collaborative exhibition with rocker-turned contemporary painter Billy Morrison (Billy Idol’s guitarist). The two Brits, joined forces for a dozen works that will also be on display.
The show opens on Friday, February 24th with a VIP event, but you can see it (free of charge) on Saturday Feb. 25th from noon to 9pm. For tickets and more information, visit Eventbrite.
