"Who is Pandemonia ?!?"
Internationally renowned Art, Fashion and Culture magazine, iD writes up Pandemonia.
To see what Sarah Raphael from iD online wrote about Pandemonia. Click iD online
November 23, 2010
Who is Pandemonia?!?
Postmodern; Post-Pop; Pandemonia is a living and breathing artist’s impression of the female form.
Pandemonia is a very tall, very plastic, very ironic piece of art. Covered head-to-toe in Latex, the shiny beauty queen is the epitome of a public obsession with surfaces. Pandemonia boasts several show-stopping creations, including the “Dizzy Blonde”, a royal blue long sleeved dress, polka dotted face and bouncy inflatable blonde locks. Each art work is a simulacrum, accessorised with red lips, blue eye shadow, a plastic complexion and a lightweight inflatable clutch bag. Not to mention her killer body, which is as impossibly perfect as Barbie herself.
Pandemonia was interviewed by Holly Shackleton in The Flesh and Blood Issue of i-D last year, explaining, “I have to express myself. Questioning contemporary culture and advertising, reworking modern myths, visually challenging my audience (or whoever I come into contact with) and creating a state of awareness”. Far from just a novelty act, the artist has hopes of winning the Turner Prize, and last year was invited to London Fashion Week, exhibited herself at the Vyner Street Gallery opening and the Tracey Emin exhibition at The White Cube. Next September, Pandemonia will be exhibiting a Pop-sculpture exhibition at the Aubin Gallery to coincide with Frieze 2011.
There are many comparisons to be made in terms of philosophy between artist Pandemonia, philosopher Jean Baudrillard and Pop-King Andy Warhol. Warhol too was fascinated by the shiny surface, insisting his art had no deeper meaning. Pandemonia describes herself as “packaging artificiality and lack of content”, in the same way perhaps as Warhol’s Campbell Soup cans. Both are indicative of a consumerist society, both are icons of modern art and advocates of the Pop genre. Baudrillard’s theory of the ‘Procession of Simulacra’ argues that everything in modern society is a representation (or simulacrum) of something else, so that because things are so endlessly representated and re-represented, the final outcome is devoid of authenticity and meaning and enters into a state of hyper-reality, where Pandemonia places herself. Pandeomia is a larger-than-life reminder of ourselves, and is an exaggerated mirror of 21st century society and 21st century ideals.
Watch Pandemonia at the hairdressers reading i-D’s feature, filmed for Channel 4′s Seven Days reality TV show. The film is a good example of Pandemonia’s philosophy, as 3D Pandemonia looks at 2D Pandemonia in the magazine, whilst being filmed, and filmed again by C4 in an everything watches everything scenario.
pandemonia99.com
Text: Sarah Raphael
