'Lady with a Bomb' is one of Axel Bottenberg's many found object sculptures that reflects the artist's fascination with kitsch imagery. A direct comment on war and peace, the delicate flowers on her shoulder have been replaced with a tiny bomb - how did it get there?
- Dimensions: 6 x 27 x 6cm
- Price: £3100.00
'Lady with a Bomb' is one of Axel Bottenberg's many found object sculptures that reflects the artist's fascination with kitsch imagery. A small scale sculpture of an elegant lady, the delicate flowers on her shoulder have been replaced with a tiny bomb - how did it get there? Made with a found ornament and a 'laughing gas' canister found on the side of the road, this piece provides a kitsch commentary on war and its prominence in everyday life. Bottenberg is often drawn to working with found objects as he enjoys the challenge and element of chance - the possibilities are endless. A straightforward pun embodied within a classic sculpture, Bottenberg's works are endlessly unique, and are renowned for their brash contrasts of high and low art imagery. These contrasts are what make his oeuvre so distinctive and accessible - Bottenberg wants his works to appeal to a wide audience, not only the elite art professionals. “It’s a comment on how war is ever-present [and] normalised” Although this piece is undoubtedly kitsch, it has been carefully engineered by Bottenberg with an astounding attention to detail. Making and building objects is an important aspect of Bottenberg's practice - it satisfies an urge which can't be done by painting alone, and is a way for him to establish a distinctive style within his oeuvre which blurs the lines of painting and sculpture. Bottenberg's works are charged with irony and social commentary, perhaps a reflection of his time studying alongside the YBAs (Young British Artists) at the Royal College of Art in the 1980s. Bottenberg's obsession with art history and pop culture ensure his works are humorous, familiar and accessible. A totally unique and unapologetic body of work, Bottenberg's compositions are statement pieces that are full of vigour. Any piece from Axel Bottenberg's oeuvre would make a priceless investment and a valuable addition for any contemporary art collection, space, or home.
Axel Bottenberg is a mixed media artist who works to create bright, compelling compositions which blur the boundaries of painting and sculpture. Born in 1961 in Darmstadt, Germany, Bottenberg studied Fine Art and Printmaking at the Canterbury College of Fine Art, and later Printmaking at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. Bottenberg is now based at Bankley Studios in Levenshulme, Manchester, and is renowned for challenging the sphere of contemporary art through his practice. Bottenberg's oeuvre is imbued with entertaining pop culture and art historical references, and his works often reject art tradition through juxtaposing high and low art iconographies. Bottenberg is heavily inspired by 1960s Pop Art and its resurgence in the 1990s, which he portrays through his own eclectic lens and bold colour palette. Bottenberg's researched approach gives scope for sardonic appraisals within a varied, eccentric body of work. Any piece from Axel Bottenberg's oeuvre would be a valuable and compelling asset to any contemporary art collection, business space or home.