September 11, 2007

Ron English












Ron English is a contemporary pop artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising.

Work
Billboard done in collaboration with the Billboard Liberation Front
One aspect of his work involves 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel, McDonalds, and Mickey Mouse. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of agit-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate iconographies so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House". Some of his paintings are also used in Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me.
English has also collaborated with Daniel Johnston and Jack Medicine in the Hyperjinx Tricycle project.

Inspiration
English takes inspiration from Andy Warhol and references him in his work. He also references the band KISS, and various cartoons. Also inspiration comes from the large billboards and posters he sees outside his city apartment, usually fast food companies.

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I saw this really awesome doc about him on NetFlix a while back, check it out
POPaganda: The Art & Crimes of Ron English (2004)
In this critically acclaimed documentary (filmed in an appropriately guerilla style), director-producer Pedro Carvajal captures vigilante artist Ron English as he makes a series of thought-provoking -- and sometimes just plain odd -- statements. The film also serves as a biography, chronicling English's evolution from a simple painter to an activist-instigator who skewers just about everything -- from Ronald McDonald to the war in Iraq.

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