Michael Pybus
Crumple Zone
11 Dec 2016 - 22 Jan 2017
Blurring a multitude of contemporary icons, Pybus’ works reflects on the brand status of the subjects he samples. Celebrating a collapse of hierarchy and context where the images are sampled, repeated and intermixed into dialogue that reimagines contemporary culture.
From IKEA tables that are in every home to ubiquitous Warhol references, the boundaries of high and low have long been blurred, or might have been conflated all along. Michael Pybus aims to question this division by recognizing the role of paintings as consumer goods which he integrates alongside mass market commodities such as t- shirts, pants, bags and sneakers.
The flattening of celebrity status between Hollywood actors, world renowned artists and the repetitive appearance of Pybus’ own signature serve as further clues for the viewer. (the scratchy dry brushing being his signature saturating the images that he’s appropriated) Pybus’ installations acknowledge the gallery as a high end commercial space . The game becomes visible and impossible to ignore.
Michael Pybus lives and works in London. Recent exhibitions include Karaoke - Carl Kostyal Stockholm (SE), IF IT WORKS, IT’S OBSOLETE - Johannes Vogt, New York (US), hubcaP sMiley feat F ·R ·I ·E ·N ·D ·S ✓Friends,, Evelyn Yard, London (UK), People You May Know curated by Debora Delmar, Bosse + Baum, London (UK), I refuse to participate in failure - Spreez, Munich (DE), Business as Usual curated by Perce Jerrom - Turf Projects, London (UK).
From IKEA tables that are in every home to ubiquitous Warhol references, the boundaries of high and low have long been blurred, or might have been conflated all along. Michael Pybus aims to question this division by recognizing the role of paintings as consumer goods which he integrates alongside mass market commodities such as t- shirts, pants, bags and sneakers.
The flattening of celebrity status between Hollywood actors, world renowned artists and the repetitive appearance of Pybus’ own signature serve as further clues for the viewer. (the scratchy dry brushing being his signature saturating the images that he’s appropriated) Pybus’ installations acknowledge the gallery as a high end commercial space . The game becomes visible and impossible to ignore.
Michael Pybus lives and works in London. Recent exhibitions include Karaoke - Carl Kostyal Stockholm (SE), IF IT WORKS, IT’S OBSOLETE - Johannes Vogt, New York (US), hubcaP sMiley feat F ·R ·I ·E ·N ·D ·S ✓Friends,, Evelyn Yard, London (UK), People You May Know curated by Debora Delmar, Bosse + Baum, London (UK), I refuse to participate in failure - Spreez, Munich (DE), Business as Usual curated by Perce Jerrom - Turf Projects, London (UK).