Rokni Haerizadeh (Iranian, b. 1978)
If Marco Polo Brought the Pasta Meme to Europe from China, He didn't Need to be a Pasta Chef but all he Had to do was to Disperse the Meme in the Environment and Other Humans Infected by it, Would Express it in their Behaviour
Date:
2017-18
Medium:
Gesso, watercolor and ink on printed paper
Object Dimensions:
11 11/16 x 16 1/2 in. (29.72 x 41.91 cm)
Credit Line:
Purchased with funds provided by the Contemporary Council, 2019.002
In this work on paper, Rokni Haerizadeh transforms an iconic British Royal wedding portrait of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle into an outlandish scene. By overpainting the original image with animal figures, distorted features, and other surreal details, the artist critiques mass consumption of such coded displays of soft power and points to the ugly truths they conceal. This work is part of a larger series of the same title that includes modified images of protests, military actions, and political summits. Together, they reflect the process of mutation that oft-replicated images and narratives undergo—much like memes, mentioned in the title—as they circulate through our collective consciousness.
Collection List
This object is a member of the following collections:
