Andy Warhol from Junk Drawers Series
Mixed Media including found objects, Campbell’s soup cans, CD’s, stationary
81.3 x 81.3 cm
A huge influence on the themes and ideas of his work, Jason Mecier payed homage to his inspiration, artist Andy Warhol, by featuring him as a subject in the Junk Drawers series. The work, aptly titled Andy Warhol, is one of many in the series of celebrity portraits made from items, objects, trash and junk glued onto wooden panels.
In Mecier’s process, he first finds the image that will suit his style best, before sourcing relevant items to create the work. Mecier has appropriated one of Warhol’s self-portraits as the image for the work. The self-portrait used in Andy Warhol was originally taken in the mid-80’s, and used to produce a large number of silkscreen and acrylic works by Warhol. It was one of the last series of works Warhol produced before his death. In using Warhol’s art as the basis of the image, Mecier’s Andy Warhol pays homage to both Andy Warhol as artist, and Andy Warhol as celebrity.
Mecier’s portrait of Andy Warhol features iconic imagery that is linked to the famous pop artist’s works. It features Campbell’s soup cans as the back drop, a reference to Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup cans work, and in reference to Warhol’s cover art for The Velvet Underground, plastic bananas similar to his design. If you study the work closely, you will also find art supplies referencing Warhol’s career, images of Marilyn Monroe who Warhol featured in his works, and a number of CD’s with recordings of The Velvet Underground and Nico, who Warhol managed, amongst other things.
Lindsay Lohan
Mixed Media including objects, recycling, paper, cigarettes, rubbish, plastic on wooden panel.
91.4 x 91.4 cm
The subject of Mecier’s most recent work is one of the most prominent players within celebrity culture. Lindsay Lohan, at only 27 years of age has been in the business of modelling, acting and singing since she was just 3 years old. Her eventful and highly publicised life, featuring a turbulent movie career, the release of 2 music albums, a series of arrests, a number of court appearances, rehab for alcohol and drug addiction, a public family breakdown and time in jail has played out in front of the camera and the paparazzi. She is a frequent feature in the gossip columns online and in the magazines and has been featured many times in Forbes Top 100 Celebrities list. Lohan encapsulates the meaning of celebrity culture in the current state, and Mecier has encapsulated her in his portrait.
A huge fan of celebrity life, and a huge fan of Lindsay Lohan, the image Mecier has used of Lohan is not the candid paparazzi style photo of Lohan so often seen in social and print media. Rather than the dishevelled, law-breaking, troubled diva, Mecier has chosen to represent the polished, professional actress. Mecier has not treated other high profile stars, such as Amanda Bynes, so favourably. It is indeed a tribute to Mecier’s love for the performer.
While Mecier has produced a flattering image of the star, looking closely at the materials used to create Lindsay Lohan, you find reference to the more troublesome aspects of Lohan’s life. Included in the materials used are make up, jewellery, sunglasses, credit cards and cell phones. Alcohol bottles and Visine, an eye drop commonly used to hide drug-use, reference her drug and alcohol dependence and time spent in rehab. Handcuffs represent her various arrests, alongside prescription bottles, alluding to Lohan’s mental health struggles and once again her drug addictions. Mecier incorporates CD’s and DVD’s, cover art and advertising material and merchandise from her film and music careers, including Mean Girls nail files and the ‘Life Size’ DVD cover. 4 ant traps, 13 bullet shells, and 29 cigarette butts amongst other items are also included in the portrait.
Studio Art 