Ron English
Encyclopedia
Ron English is an American contemporary artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising
. His signature style employs a mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, including comic superhero mythology and totems of art history, to create a visual language of evolution. He is also widely considered a seminal figure in the advancement of street art
away from traditional wild-style lettering and into clever statement and masterful trompe l’oeil based art. He has created illegal murals and billboards that blend stunning visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements, hijacking public space worldwide for the sake of art since the 1980s.
is one aspect of his work, involving 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel
, McDonald's
, and Mickey Mouse
. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of dollar-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate icons so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English is considered one of the fathers of modern street art and has initiated and participated in illegal public art campaigns since the early eighties. Some of his extralegal murals include one on the Berlin Wall's Checkpoint Charlie in 1989 and one on the Palestinian separation wall in the West Bank in 2007, with fellow street artists Banksy
and Swoon (artist)
.
English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols
album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House
". He painted the cover of the new Slash (album). Some of his paintings are also used in
Morgan Spurlock
's documentaries Super Size Me
and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
. Following the credits, he receives special thanks and is credited as "The Greatest Living Artist."
English is as well-known for his photorealist technique and inventive use of color and comic book collage as he is for his unique cast of characters, including sexualized animals, skeletal figures, Marilyn Monroe with Mickey Mouse breasts, the corpulent fast food spokesman MC Supersized, and one of his most significant creations, Abraham Obama, a fusion of America’s 16th and 44th Presidents. During the 2008 Presidential Election, he combined the features of Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln for a popularly-distributed image entitled "Abraham Obama."
Songs In English is the world's first blog-as-you-go recording project. It is based on the lyrics of World Renowned Ron English and Brooklyn songwriter Jack Medicine. The project is being arranged and produced by the high energy rock stylings of Velvet Rut.
English has also collaborated with Daniel Johnston
and Jack Medicine in the Hyperjinx Tricycle project. English most recently created the artwork for Art Nouveau Magazine
's first print issue.
English is the subject of a Pedro Carvajal documentary
entitled Popaganda, named after one of his art books. He is also a subject of "The Art Army" action figures by Michael Leavitt
.
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 Jersey City apartment, usually fast food companies.
English also references Picasso's Guernica
. He has created dozens of versions, transforming the original Spanish civilian characters into Disney characters, Peanuts characters, soccer players, schoolchildren, and many others. He also painted the world's largest version of Guernica at the Station Museum in Houston. It is one foot longer and one foot wider than Picasso's original and features schoolchildren playacting the violent scene of the original.
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
. His signature style employs a mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, including comic superhero mythology and totems of art history, to create a visual language of evolution. He is also widely considered a seminal figure in the advancement of street art
Street art
Street art is any art developed in public spaces — that is, "in the streets" — though the term usually refers to unsanctioned art, as opposed to government sponsored initiatives...
away from traditional wild-style lettering and into clever statement and masterful trompe l’oeil based art. He has created illegal murals and billboards that blend stunning visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements, hijacking public space worldwide for the sake of art since the 1980s.
Work
Culture jammingCulture jamming
Culture jamming, coined in 1984, denotes a tactic used by many anti-consumerist social movements to disrupt or subvert mainstream cultural institutions, including corporate advertising. Guerrilla semiotics and night discourse are sometimes used synonymously with the term culture jamming.Culture...
is one aspect of his work, involving 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel
Joe Camel
Joe Camel was the advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes from late 1987 to July 12, 1997, appearing in magazine advertisements, billboards, and other print media.-History:The U.S. marketing team of R. J...
, McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, and Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of dollar-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate icons so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English is considered one of the fathers of modern street art and has initiated and participated in illegal public art campaigns since the early eighties. Some of his extralegal murals include one on the Berlin Wall's Checkpoint Charlie in 1989 and one on the Palestinian separation wall in the West Bank in 2007, with fellow street artists Banksy
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter.His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique...
and Swoon (artist)
Swoon (artist)
Swoon is a street artist born in New London, Connecticut, and raised in Daytona Beach, Florida. She moved to New York City at age nineteen, and specializes in life-size wheatpaste prints and paper cutouts of figures...
.
English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...
album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House
Welcome to the Monkey House (album)
Welcome to the Monkey House is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols. "We Used to Be Friends" was a popular single from the album, which later went on to be the theme song for the cult TV show Veronica Mars....
". He painted the cover of the new Slash (album). Some of his paintings are also used in
Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Valentine Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and journalist best known for the documentary film Super Size Me...
's documentaries Super Size Me
Super Size Me
Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he eats only McDonald's food...
and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is a 2011 documentary film about product placement, marketing and advertising in movies and TV shows, directed by Morgan Spurlock...
. Following the credits, he receives special thanks and is credited as "The Greatest Living Artist."
English is as well-known for his photorealist technique and inventive use of color and comic book collage as he is for his unique cast of characters, including sexualized animals, skeletal figures, Marilyn Monroe with Mickey Mouse breasts, the corpulent fast food spokesman MC Supersized, and one of his most significant creations, Abraham Obama, a fusion of America’s 16th and 44th Presidents. During the 2008 Presidential Election, he combined the features of Barack Obama and Abraham Lincoln for a popularly-distributed image entitled "Abraham Obama."
Songs In English is the world's first blog-as-you-go recording project. It is based on the lyrics of World Renowned Ron English and Brooklyn songwriter Jack Medicine. The project is being arranged and produced by the high energy rock stylings of Velvet Rut.
English has also collaborated with Daniel Johnston
Daniel Johnston
Daniel Dale Johnston is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. Johnston was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He currently lives in Waller, Texas....
and Jack Medicine in the Hyperjinx Tricycle project. English most recently created the artwork for Art Nouveau Magazine
Art Nouveau Magazine
Art Nouveau Magazine is a quarterly American visual art and design and culture magazine. The online version, an-mag.com, launched in 2007 and reaches over 30,000 unique visitors monthly.- Issues :...
's first print issue.
English is the subject of a Pedro Carvajal documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
entitled Popaganda, named after one of his art books. He is also a subject of "The Art Army" action figures by Michael Leavitt
Michael Leavitt (artist)
Mike Leavitt is a visual artist based in Seattle, WA U.S.A., described as "the best caricature sculptor in the city" . The "über-allround-cool-creator" is most widely known for his "Art Army" series of hand-made action figures depicting visual artists, musicians, and entertainers...
.
Inspiration
English takes inspiration from Andy WarholAndy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
and references him in his work. He also references the band KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, and various cartoons. Also inspiration comes from the large billboards and posters he sees outside his Jersey City apartment, usually fast food companies.
English also references Picasso's Guernica
Guernica (painting)
Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso. It was created in response to the bombing of Guernica, Basque Country, by German and Italian warplanes at the behest of the Spanish Nationalist forces, on 26 April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War...
. He has created dozens of versions, transforming the original Spanish civilian characters into Disney characters, Peanuts characters, soccer players, schoolchildren, and many others. He also painted the world's largest version of Guernica at the Station Museum in Houston. It is one foot longer and one foot wider than Picasso's original and features schoolchildren playacting the violent scene of the original.
External links
- Popaganda
- Abraham Obama - Art Project
- VIDEO Ron English talks about his work on ABC FORA
- Opera Gallery Collection
- Ron English - Surreal Art Collective
- Songs In English - Music Project
- studioapart.com
- Fringe Galleries
- Ron English: Abraham Obama DVD Trailer
- Group show of street art curated by Ron English