Spiritual Guidance 2021

Editor: This acrylic painting, "Spiritual Guidance," was created by Mark Kostabi in 2021. The gold leaf background is quite striking. The rigid shapes seem so... manufactured. What are your initial thoughts on this work? Curator: Looking at Kostabi's "Spiritual Guidance," my attention is drawn to the materials themselves and the processes employed. Consider the application of acrylic paint, often associated with mass production, to create figures resembling classical forms, and placing it atop a textured gold leaf surface. Doesn't that immediately challenge our conventional notions of value? Editor: Yes, it does. I guess I just assume that gold means value. Curator: But what kind of value are we talking about? Is it purely economic, or are we seeing commentary on the commodification of spirituality? The robotic figures engaged with technology contribute to this line of questioning, don't you think? The labor involved in producing such a piece is interesting too: acrylic allows for a certain mechanical precision, which contrasts with the hand-laid gold leaf. Is Kostabi implying a new kind of art making? Editor: That's interesting. The sharp lines feel mass produced, especially contrasted against the gold leaf which seems a lot more individual somehow. How does it relate to the "pop art" tag it has? Curator: Well, if we're thinking about Pop Art and figures like Warhol, Kostabi uses those same concepts but modernizes it to the current cultural state, referencing mass consumption and industrial processes, using an almost cartoonish imagery, further dissolving the line between high art and commodity culture. And, look how figures and spirituality can be purchased just as easily as anything else. Editor: So, by contrasting traditional materials like gold leaf with modern, industrial techniques, he's critiquing consumerism? I hadn’t really thought of that. Curator: Precisely. And understanding those artistic and manufacturing choices lets us decode those intended social commentaries. Editor: I never considered the manufacturing behind this piece, and what it means. It has provided me with a different lens to consider.