Renowned Chicago-based artist Kerry James Marshall is a leading figure in contemporary art, celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions. Among his notable exhibitions, his 2022 showcase, "EXQUISITE CORPSE: This Is Not The Game," at Jack Shainman Gallery New York, unveiled a collection of 20 meticulously executed works of art. Among these was Untitled (Exquisite Corpse Lightbulb Cross), a commanding 90 1/2 x 66 1/2 inches (framed) painting, one of four striking acrylic paintings featured in the exhibition.
Untitled (Exquisite Corpse Lightbulb Cross) before framing
In the visual arts, Exquisite Corpse is a collaborative method of art creation invented and popularized by surrealist artists in the early 20th century. It is a game involving multiple artists making a drawing of a figure, where each takes a turn to contribute to a collective artwork without knowing what the others have drawn. Typically, a piece of paper is folded into sections, and each participant draws a segment of the figure, only seeing the edge of what the others have drawn. When the paper is unfolded, the combined artwork often creates a strange and fantastical creature or figure with disjointed or surreal elements. In Untitled (Exquisite Corpse Lightbulb Cross), Kerry James Marshall builds on the Exquisite Corpse concept, but instead of collaborating with others, he self-collaborates, varying the imagery, colors, and styles through his work.
Reflecting on Marshall's exhibition, Culture Magazine remarked, "In "Exquisite Corpse: This Is Not The Game" at Jack Shainman, Marshall turned his attention to Surrealism, pulling inspiration from the titular 1920s game that the Surrealists once used to collectively create new, randomized works. But rather than a Frankenstein of varied contributors, Marshall's mashups—exquisitely humorous and beautifully absurd—were all his own." Watch as Untitled (Exquisite Corpse Lightbulb Cross) was recently framed at The Conservation Center by our Custom Framing and Fabrications Department.
Untitled (Exquisite Corpse Lightbulb Cross) after framing
SOURCES:
https://jackshainman.com/exhibitions/km-exquisitecorpse-2022
https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/exquisite-corpse
https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2022/12/23/best-art-shows-2022
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse
