MANIA II / KRISTOFFERSON SAN PABLO
MANIAC is excited to present 'MANIA II' the first San Francisco exhibition of Los Angeles based artist Kristofferson San Pablo.
'Mania II' presents San Pablo's reassignment of 1990s cultural agency as its imagery pertains to power and repetition in contemporary painting and culture, all while reveling in the 'materiality of paint' ("I've always wanted to do a water painting/I've always wanted to paint a dollar bill"). Pulled from the treasury of cultural landmarking is the alternative life San Pablo has reformatted in his paintings, recasting key elements and removing others, while emphasizing the (over saturated) unconscious repetition of status and changeability in visual terms.
While San Pablo's newest paintings work with the reassignment or removal of known iconography in popular imagery, they rely on the underground/bootlegged versions of media milestones to transform the conditions in which they were previously used. For example, removing/adjusting specific properties (Black Bart, Nirvana's 1991 Nevermind album cover without the baby) to create a gap where certainty would typically exist, allows San Pablo to further develop his interest in appropriation as practice while supporting his efforts and interest in variation in painting. The iconic remixing of the popular imagery San Pablo uses, (Biggies 'Party and Bullshit' lyrics in repetition, a ton of ass, a painting of a weed hat), whether once met with approval or rebellion during their original circulation then become emblematic within the tradition of painting.
Kristofferson San Pablo (lives/works in Los Angeles CA) received his MFA from Art Center College of Design, Pasadena in 2009. Recent exhibitions include 'Boys of Summer: New Empire' at Raid Projects, Los Angeles (2010), 'Shameless, Nameless and Recycled' at POP, Culver City (2009), 'Sleazy Is The New Classy' Synchronicity Space, Los Angeles (2009), and 'Don't Die Horny' at Art Center, Pasadena (2009).
'Mania II' presents San Pablo's reassignment of 1990s cultural agency as its imagery pertains to power and repetition in contemporary painting and culture, all while reveling in the 'materiality of paint' ("I've always wanted to do a water painting/I've always wanted to paint a dollar bill"). Pulled from the treasury of cultural landmarking is the alternative life San Pablo has reformatted in his paintings, recasting key elements and removing others, while emphasizing the (over saturated) unconscious repetition of status and changeability in visual terms.
While San Pablo's newest paintings work with the reassignment or removal of known iconography in popular imagery, they rely on the underground/bootlegged versions of media milestones to transform the conditions in which they were previously used. For example, removing/adjusting specific properties (Black Bart, Nirvana's 1991 Nevermind album cover without the baby) to create a gap where certainty would typically exist, allows San Pablo to further develop his interest in appropriation as practice while supporting his efforts and interest in variation in painting. The iconic remixing of the popular imagery San Pablo uses, (Biggies 'Party and Bullshit' lyrics in repetition, a ton of ass, a painting of a weed hat), whether once met with approval or rebellion during their original circulation then become emblematic within the tradition of painting.
Kristofferson San Pablo (lives/works in Los Angeles CA) received his MFA from Art Center College of Design, Pasadena in 2009. Recent exhibitions include 'Boys of Summer: New Empire' at Raid Projects, Los Angeles (2010), 'Shameless, Nameless and Recycled' at POP, Culver City (2009), 'Sleazy Is The New Classy' Synchronicity Space, Los Angeles (2009), and 'Don't Die Horny' at Art Center, Pasadena (2009).
