Edward Lipski
In Fuckers, two almost fused black figures appear to be having sex doggy style. The one on all fours looks like a dog, and the standing figure has a fluffy tail; Lipski says that each is intended to be seen as part human and part animal. Their rough surfaces, reminiscent of burnt charcoal, are actually made up of lambs’ wool, which Lipski purchased dyed. Lipski says he made multiple cracks in the black base “to corrupt the integrity of that support”: they made me think of the cliche that an orgasm is like an earthquake–a force evoking destruction and ecstasy.
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Many contemporary artworks leave meaning to the viewer, but by mixing bold assertiveness and other impulses–unaccountable sexuality, self-abnegation–Lipski acknowledges how very difficult it is to make sense of our frenzied world. Boat comes complete with funnels and a “mast” that looks like a cartoon nose; the whole thing is covered with color photocopies of late-60s psychedelic posters, for Jefferson Airplane and the like, which Lipski painted over, heightening the colors. The piece has an appealing 1960s optimism, as if the expansion of consciousness really could change the world, and there’s something of the playfulness of children in this miniature model. The boat shape is odd, but perhaps it represents tripping or a journey back in time. What are we to make, however, of several protruding breast shapes?
