New York Gitli 1986

Here's a piece called New York Gitli by Jimmie Durham. What a strange and wonderful object! I imagine Durham found a discarded plastic A-frame. It’s kind of brutalist and aggressive, right? Then he paints it this wild, almost cartoonish red, which feels subversive somehow. Red is a deeply emotional colour - associated with love, anger, fire - and the plastic brings a banality, a kind of everydayness to it. And then, BAM! There’s a colourful animal skull plonked on top, like it’s ready to bite. But it’s also playful, with painted details that soften it, and a strand of hair that adds a human touch. Durham made a lot of work with found materials, and I can see him in his studio, piecing things together, making odd and unexpected connections. He was in conversation with folk art, Dada, and assemblage artists like Kurt Schwitters. It's about poetry and politics, all rolled into one. Durham's work reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue. It's about embracing uncertainty, making room for different interpretations. It’s a process of finding meaning through making.