Scanning Barcode Gary Vaynerchuk
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October 2011 |
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Barcode Jane Fonda
Video application for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Competition.
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| With his scan-able barcode collages, Scott Blake's interest in portraying popular icons has twisted towards a full-on commentary of our immersion in commodity culture. In his installation work that includes portraits of Bruce Lee and Ozzy Osborne, a simple sweep of the scanner invokes audio and video content excerpted from the work of two men who mixed their natural talents with a keen sense of market and popular appeal. As the excerpts appear, Blake asks us to question our own conscious connection to these men. After all, our recognition of Lee is not based on his static portrait. Rather, the videos resulting from each barcode scan highlight the aestheticized, choreographed violence for which this martial artist is famous. With Ozzy Osborne, we're motivated to question how we define a persona alienated and opposed by many mainstream Americans because of his antics in songs and onstage. From action heroes to social antagonists, Blake's collages leave us wondering whether pop artists are masters of market or leaders inspired to draw new lines for aesthetic appeal. (Review by Joe Romano) |
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