SNAPSHOT
“It came to me at a thrift store. I wanted to take something that had been forgotten and change it in a way that didn’t affect its aesthetic and to see if that, in and of itself, would make it wanted again.” (artist Dave Pollot via Laughing Squid)
Op shops, or thrift stores as they known in the U.S.,. are interesting places.
One hand, they are all these treasures to find at bargain prices which is never not fun BUT there’s always a sad sense that for many items, this is their last stop before a possible trip to the rubbish dump.
New York artist Dave Pollot has faced up to this great existential conundrum by giving old discarded paintings a whole new lease on life by injecting pop culture characters and icons while still respecting the original art.
He’s been featured over a number of sites over recent years and I’ve always wondered why he would do that and what motivates him; well, now thanks to this video from 60 Second Docs we get a fascinating look at the man, the art and why it matters to him that these paintings find a new, happy purpose.
It’s lovely inspiring stuff that will definitely put as happy smile on your pandemic-beleaguered face.