Ominously called the House of Pain, and nothing to do with the Irish hop-hop band, Rousson has created a shed constructed out of individual canvases.
Most of the canvases are paintings done in the typical style of a different iconic artist, Picasso, Warhol, Pollock etc. Fontana, for instance has a slash through it, which ironically creates a smiley face. Or they are a painting which someway depicts the artist’s character or stereotype. As Rousson explained, taking drugs or having affairs with their models is the stereotype these artists have.
The blurb to the exhibition states that Rousson, ‘ironically debunks’ these modernist artists, ‘casting them as self-obsessed bricoleurs’ (‘DIYs’?? to the non-cheese brigade) ‘who’s great works echo the “low” aesthetics of amateur home improvement projects.’
But if this is really what Rousson has set out to prove this is not an aggressive enough a way of presenting it. It comes across as more of a pleasant pastiche, and Rousson’s own painting style is submerged within his subject’s style making it difficult to see whether the imitation is his own progression of the style or a direct take-off.
I overheard someone mentioning that ‘House of Pain’ could mean ‘House of Bread’ which the stable at Bethlehem was referred to at some point. This is going a little far for a collective collage of modernist paintings, some vaguely soft porn, but still, a nice idea.
The house has a slightly underwhelming appearance, and the concept is a little vacant, but still, perhaps this is the whole idea.
Art Sleuth 