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Its Not Yours, You Stole It.
Patrick O’Rorke January 2007
Influenced by equal parts Pop and Punk this body of work is a celebration of stimulants and stimulation. Those of both the legal and illegal kind: caffeine, hip-hop, television, color, WFMU, heavy metal, plagiarism, Coca-Cola, tobacco, illegal file sharing, curry sauce, alcohol, pot, thievery, riding a bike without a helmet, ect... The following is a short explanation of some of the themes in this body of work. While not complete or all encompassing this may help make the work more approachable for a viewer. Although influenced by formalism, and interested in a formal understanding of this work the ideas in this body of work are far more complex then these short explanations could begin to convey. Each one of these paintings deals with formalism, but want to look good at the same time. As much as I love Barnet Newman he is in fact dead, and I am grateful that he is.
Master of Reality
Black Sabbath is my second favorite band, and Master of Reality is my favorite album by the band. The term Master of Reality is credited as referring to an intoxicated state and the feelings of invincibility that is associated with such. The idea of a feeling of invincible is something that we can all relate to, personally my over use stimulants ultimately leads to feelings of greatness or chaos with little in-between. Master of Reality: a celebration of the human condition; the celebration of over-consumption, over-indulgence. “When I first met you, didn’t realize. I can’t forget you, for your surprise. You introduced me, to my mind. And left me wanting, you and your kind” -Sweet Leaf, Black Sabbath 1971
Houndstooth
While completely appropriated in it’s own, the shapes and colors that make up the Houndstooth pattern are almost endless. Appreciated by Punk, Mods, savvy designers/dressers, and WASP’s a like Houndstooth has transcended cultural and economic boundaries. My use of this pattern is as a celebration of these things and a way to identify with one or all of them. My personal desires to own a Houndstooth jacket, sofa, or scarf and the reality of being unable to afford one or find one I truly love has driven me to paint the pattern.
The Simpsons
The color pallet throughout “Its Not Your, You Stole It” consists of quite a few colors borrowed from the pallet of Matt Groening’s world in Springfield. This is an attempt to pay homage to one of my favorite artist. It is also a way to add a familiar feeling to the work. I believe that color has the capacity to bring forth a feeling of nostalgia or familiarity, almost in the same way that a scent can. Using the colors of the Simpsons I am trying to create an interaction with the viewer where they feel familiar with this work, although it maybe the very first time to view it.
Jersey Fresh
Anyone from New Jersey will tell you that the best Tomatoes are Jersey Tomatoes. Inclined to agree with this statement 100%, the jersey fresh logo is homage to my roots. Born and raised in NJ, and a fierce critic of NJ, these paintings represent the best and worst that the Garden State has to offer… Tomatoes, Bon Jovi, Asbury Park, The Sopranos, WFMU, Bruce Springsteen, Redman, Atlantic City, Brick City. “You’ll really like hell, its a lot like New Jersey” –Philly Boy Roy.
Installation
Drawn to the installation works of Polly Apfelbaum, Mathew Ritchie and Richard Serra in particular, the idea of transforming a space through the installation of artwork is very intriguing to me. A multi panel painting that looks as though it floats on the wall using both positive and negative space to create an implied picture plane. A pyramid made up of diamond shapes arranged in a geometric quilt pattern that starts on the floor and ends at about waist level. Paintings on canvas arranged on the floor, almost like a psychedelic Carl Andre or a disco dance floor.
A Universe of Flower
These paintings are an attempt to understand the universe, not in a metaphysical bullshit way, but in a completely physical observational way. Like the famous scene in Cosmos where Carl Sagan holds the yellow flower and explains to us that we are all made up of star stuff. These paintings use flowers in place of stars, or galaxies. Think of them as trying to represent a three dimensional space on a two dimensional plane. My love of Astrophysics has from time to time made me think that I have perused the wrong career. However as an artist I believe that I maybe able to understand some of the more theoretical ideas that physics presents purely as aesthetic achievements rather than being provable in a laboratory or equation. “Billions and Billions”
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Patrick O’Rorke, a recent graduate of Portland’s Maine College of Art. This exhibition of new work, entitled "It's not yours, you stole it" is using pattern, color and text to convey ideas on music and contemporary culture. Houndstooth, heavy metal, fluorescent colors all combined with collage and appliquéd elements, construct paintings and wallworks full of color, pattern and texture. Mixing song lyrics and everyday phrases, Mr. O’Rorke is presenting language as a prop for patterned formalist abstractions. A celebration of appropriation!
Suggested playlist, in no particular order…
Delta 5 - Mind Your Own Business
Black Sabbath - Tomorrow’s Dream
The Roots - In the Music
Weird War - Girls Like That
Little Beaver - Party Down
The Velvet Underground - Rock & Roll
Funky Four Plus One - That’s the Joint
33hz - Crazy all the Time
Black Eyed Peas - My Humps
Mos Def - Napoleon Dynamite
Run-DMC - Rock Box
Beat Happening - Our Secret
Nebula - Giant
David Bowie - It Aint Easy
Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock
Young MC - Busta Move
Dead Prez - Know your Enemy
Cody ChesnuTT - Somebody’s Parent
Led Zeppelin - The Ocean
Weird War - Burgers and Fries
Whodini - I’m a Ho
A Tribe Called Quest - Butter
Talib Kweli - Good to You
Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You
Royal Trux - Inside Game
Sonic Youth - Unmade Bed
Black Flag - Black Coffee
Slayer - Mandatory Suicide
Ghostface Killah - Miguel Sanchez
Bee Gees - More than a Women
CONTACT
Patrick O'Rorke
207/409/9644
ororke5000@yahoo.com
LINKS
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