MICHAEL T. FIGUEROA
NIU ART Education+design
Big Idea/Subject: Community
Major Theme:Expression
Medium/ Presentation: 3D sculpture
Visual Components: Color, Shape, Movement, Form, Scale
Category: Pop Art
Authorship: Brian Donnelly/KAWS
Title: Pinocchio & Jiminy Cricket, 2010
Original Location: ALDRICH CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION
Discription/Interpretation:
KAWS the Artist uses his trademark details in his work. The X’s on the eyes and gloves, and the funny ears are some of his identity details in his work. His evolvement with Graffiti from his youth and his time working for Disney has evolved to a personal statement.
For the most of us, we all recognize the iconic figures we see in the image above, or do we? We know them as Disney Characters: Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket. The reason why I ask do we, is because if you really look at them we see something a little different in the details. I see two figures standing next to each other. One is large and the other is very small. 1/4th the scale of the larger object. They appear to look like children’s toys made of vinyl or some sort of resin from a mold. Both figures are bright and colorful. The figures are covering their eyes with their hands. Pinocchio has one eye peeking but Donnelly made the eyes into X’s. The gloves on the hands of both figures also have X’s on them. The Pinocchio figure also has what seems to resemble funny looking elephant ears.
My interpretation here is that KAWS is looking back into his childhood that we as the viewer can all relate too. He is using Disney characters because most people universally know them. He uses the bright colors to grab the viewer attentions. It appears there is a message to be given. I see that it might be a anti-Disney piece, or some kind of big corporation (Disney, McDonalds) awareness about what we see isn’t what we think we see as children.
Use in Teaching:
Looking at the image for the first time we are pretty convinced on what we see. KAWS has taken something familiar from our childhood and uses it as a form of expression. How do we know it’s not Disney’s Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket? What do we see that tells us it’s not Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket (what we think it is)? What are some of the details we see? How could we approach this in class? What is his message? How can this communicate to the viewers? How does it make you feel after you see it is not what you think it is? If we wanted to send a message out about a social issue, something we feel is important to us, what could we do based on KAWS’ 3D sculptures?
VCBD 2
