Art(ificial) Paradise

I was at Art Basel Miami once, way back in 2021.

Like most of my artworks a sample of my own story interwoven into the lines and colours. A slice of my reality against the backdrop of an art world that often feels like a masquerade ball of aesthetics and connections. It’s my playful jab at the seriousness with which art is often cloaked, a reminder that context is king, and content can sometimes be dethroned by perception. Especially if the collector is a millionaire. Or you’ve already climbed the mountain. Or new narratives follow the followed. Severed fingers aside, what will you do to reach the ‘top?’ How far will you take it. Whose orders will you follow? MOMA text me, I don’t think the art will make it to the museum in ‘her’ mind.

This piece is my declaration that art is not just about whom you know or the magnitude of your brand, but about the authentic stories we dare to tell. My time at Basel was overshadowed by a sense of impending doom, not aided by, the culture I found on Miami Beach. I hated it there, so why am I so desperate to go back?

Ultimately I suppose, this piece is not only a satirical examination of Art Basel's culture of excess but also a personal commentary on my struggle to be understood and accepted as an artist since the beginning of my career. For those that see past the obvious in the lines colours and aesthetic and look deeper, thank you for getting me to places I never dreamed I could go.

This artwork was created for the Tezos Vending Machine. On display at Art Basel Miami 2023.