all photos and words: Kevin Carroll
Brief intro for the possibly uninitiated: John Tsombikos (born 1987 in New York City, NY) is an artist known for the commemorative graffiti campaign dedicated to his late friend Bobby L. Fisher (also known as BORF). The name BORF became a household name in the greater DC area and appeared in cities around the world, including San Francisco, New York City, Athens, Greece, Rome and Florence, Italy, London, England and as far south as Bogota, Columbia. A graduate of the Corcoran College of Art + Design (2009), Tsombikos has since lived in Athens, Greece.
Departing from the imagery that popularized the BORF campaign, Tsombikos analyzes the relationships between the tactics of power used for social control and the nihilistic tendencies and bitter hopelessness it instills in the peers of his good-for-nothing generation. This friction (manifested in the recent surge in riots and uprisings around the world) takes shape in "Potty-Trained at Gunpoint"); in the form of appropriated surveillance cameras mounted on trophy plaques, complete with cut wires hanging like the mangled viscera of a hunted animal. As part of his "Still Life" series, Tsombikos will also show hand painted copies of certificates, urine sample orders, and travel permits from his 3-years' experience with juridical surveillance, highlighting the logic and absurdity behind institutional life. A variety of other new work in an array of media will also be on display.
Let's get this potty started...
the show is open till October 10th, visit The Fridge's website for more details.
Previously in BYT year in art:
- 5/15: PHOTOS: Leo Villareal Opening @ Conner Contemporary
- 5/2: Art + Taste of Catalonia Arrive @ National Gallery of Art Courtesy of Joan Miró & Jose Andres
- 3/20: PHOTOS: Janet Biggs + Wilmer Wilson IV @ Conner Contemporary
- 2/28: PHOTOS: Warhol! Opening @ The Fridge
- 2/27: Report: Frida Kahlo:Her Photos Opens @ Artisphere
- 11/14: PHOTOS: Arts@1830 Grand Opening Reception
- 11/14: PHOTOS: BYT's YOUNG @ HEART @ FOTOWEEK Central
- 11/10: PHOTOS: Caitlin Teal Price Photography Opening
- 11/8: PHOTOS: #DCResidence + Birds of A Pleather + The Icebox @ #DCWeek
- 11/8: PHOTOS: Victoria F. Gaitán/ Patricia Piccinni Opening @ Conner Contemporary
God loves a cheerful giver.
Oh god yes.
Oh god, no. This was a pretty lame exhibit. We know John's got talent, so why showcase a bunch of crappy pictures of him stealing produce and canned goods. And the replications of his court documents and diploma are so masturbatory it was like watching the monkeys in the zoo's Ape House. Please don't self-reflect, Borf, you're too young for a retrospective. Highlight is definitely the cc-video cameras mounted like trophies, but even that stunt comes dangerously close to Banksism. I'm hoping Borf matures a little more as an artist and really pushes himself next time around. I was prepared to be blown away and instead found myself pretty underwhelmed.
The Fridge is a really nice gallery, though.
walk down the byt/borf memory lane: http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/art-design/art-night-dc-borf-hirshhorn-after-hours/
Jeff- I think we just all had our hopes set to high. If it was any other 23yr old's solo show, I think I would have been blown away with the garage door/slide piece alone but Bansky set his own bar to high... Did you happen to notice the replications of his court documents were all done by hand??!?! They weren't photo copies....
The cameras were very cool but as you pointed out very "Bansky" for somebody who has since trashed the "street art" scene
@ jeff
Sucks that you didn't enjoy the exhibit. I think it takes a bit more energy to really "get" the work in this show than the flashy, retinal exhibits I assume you're used to, Jeff. Instead of whining about how the artist chose not to worry himself with the task of masturbating the viewer, why not ask yourself "why showcase crappy snapshots of the process of concealing and shoplifting everyday household items?" Then recall your knowledge of contemporary art history and try to think about what makes this action art. Or more appropriately, where this action falls into the art historical conversation. And I know it feels weird, and maybe your head is beginning to tingle, but you could continue with this process of critical thinking with some more questions. Like, "why is this kid taking the time to recreate, letter by letter, word for word, these documents from the various institutions he's dealt with?" And what does that process make you think about? Is it merely just a mimicing jeer, or is it something more cynical and wryly poignant?
This is what usually happens when one chooses, not just to "go" to an exhibit, but to see it and spend time unpacking the work, before taking the "this was lame" stance. And what does Banksy have to do with anything in this exhibit? That's lost on me.
friends like John make me want to kill myself, borf.
Shame the gallery is run by a scumbag.
I bought a couple of John's fine paintings back in October and Alex Goldstein at The Fridge happily took my money (a lot of it) abut, to this day, six months later, has still not sent me the art nor issued the refund I've now started to request.
Sucks being overseas and not being able to go round and kick doors in...