Ryan McGinness’ print and painting of
deconstructed corporate logos attracted my attention at the gallery. The
painting uses very brightly colored parts and pieces of logos combined and
placed over each other. The logos are still recognizable, but they are also a
piece of abstract art once deconstructed and combined. The piece gives off a
graffiti type of look when first viewed. The canvas is completely covered with
the logos giving the viewer no clear place to start or enter the piece. The
viewer has to see the piece as a whole, trying to take it all in and understand
it at once, which is very overwhelming. It still retains a sense of joy and cooperation
as if the logos choose to be there working in harmony. It doesn’t come off as
an attack on the companies, corporate America, or capitalism. Instead, it seems
to pose an innocent question. Is there room for art in corporations and
corporations in art? It seems to ask if there can be a balance between the two
where one doesn’t try to completely take over the other. There is a beauty in
corporate logos, which is evident from the deconstructed parts and pieces of
these logos. They are a piece of art in everyday life. They also present a
problem because they carry the weight of the company that they represent, so
they are often not seen as a piece of art, but rather a spokesperson. The
painting brings out the beauty of the logos while taking them away from their
initial context. In this work, they are not competing for the attention of the
viewer, but are there as a group with a single message, something that logos
were meant to do from the beginning. The piece makes the viewer think about the
world of consumerism and how they are affected by it, but not in the usual
negative light. However it does make the viewer think about what companies are
doing for them and what they do for companies and is it an equal experience. Are
we being helped or hurt by all these companies that exist and what can we do
about it? The way the artist has let this come from inside the painting to
inside the viewer is very effective.
