Brook Halvorson
Feb 11, 2009
Not enough artists are bold enough to outright attack their viewers comfort zone, but Brook Halvorson is. He can be found shocking the mostly conservative and white collar residents of DC with pieces such as Stool Sample – a plastic quart bag filled with giant turds and a doctor/patient form.
Well ok, not real brown logs, but they look real enough to evoke a cringe and shutter reaction from passerby’s. And that work can be placed in the same category of all his other visual art: subversive. One such sculpture is a tubule structure labeled “Emergency Assault Weapon”, with a hand gun encased in its center, a definite silent comment aimed at the ongoing vicious debate over gun control and the effort to curb access to weaponry. With such heated arguments happening in the District, its no wonder Brook stays. This piece would have not have such a strong context in places like San Fransisco or NYC.
In Bed with Exxon however, would garner a similar response from here to Singapore. The state of the economy in combination with the widespread hatred for large corporations, oil hoarding and the war in Iraq create an ideal incubator for Brook’s rendition of sleeping with the enemy. The excerpt for this photograph stated, “Got loads of money? Tired of the same ol’ ways of flaunting it? Show off your connections and your power with the perfect accessory. Great for sleeping, sexing, and reading (integral light source included).”
Brook is part of the exhibition, Involving Violence, which opens at School 33 on February 20th. Involving Violence features thirteen artists, whose work addresses issues of violence and hostility that disrupt daily life. As consumers, Americans are constantly bombarded with glamorous and violent images in the media and popular culture. Aggression manifests itself in many different situations and the show avoids creating a hierarchy of violence by juxtaposing images and objects that approach the subject in a variety of ways. Be sure to show your support / support insubordination.
Dig on more of Brook’s fantastic work here!
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