ActivismArt

Recalling Cloe

Mad Art Lab is 7 years old and we’re taking some time to remember our illustrious allumni.

Up next is Cloe, creator of our majestic mascot, Sparklecorn

We caught up with Cloe and this is what she had to say about her current pursuits:

“Other than that I’ve been doing the freelance hustle while trying to battle my own art demons, attempting to broker a peace between the need to eat, pay bills and also maintain an authentic self-concept with regard to the world’s values and internalizing my worth through the lens of media and a perceived audience rather than an internal compass. Trump’s election was a huge catalyst for trying to understand things like marketing, propaganda, exploitation/appropriation, détournement vs recuperation, relational interdependence, ego-death and intersectionality on more than a surface level. I don’t think I’ve especially explored or projected those concepts directly into my work, but it has definitely changed my relationship with what I do. A lot of things I’ve been tangentially involved with for years have been reified in the last few years and I’ve been kind of cashing against the rocks of consumerism with a greater perception, including my own insignificance in the system and inability to act against it (being held captive by it). Every day is kind of punctuated by an impulse to run off an live in a cave. That’s probably more than you’re looking for this “where are they now” article, but this is very much where I am now.”

How does that translate into art? Well, I’m glad you asked. Here’s an example.

Trump Crying, a portrait in ink and menstrual blood
Period Piece by Cloe Ashton. May 20, 1017

What is that? That’s a portrait of the current president crying like a toddler having a tantrum, rendered in ink, spit and menstrual blood. Yeah, you read that right. She calls them Period Pieces and she posts new ones here roughly every 28 days. The series will continue until he’s out of office.

They’re the most viscerally affecting political commentary I think I’ve seen. They’re both deeply uncomfortable and gross, in both their medium and subject, and yet somehow extremely satisfying. They’re an act of protest in the #pussygrabsback vein. In Cloe’s words, it’s like “drowning Trump in a sea of bloody cunt snot.

Go see the growing series on her site, and support her work here.

Here, have another for good measure.

trump saying dog shit
Period Piece by Cloe Ashton. April 4, 2017

Ryan

Ryan is a professional nerd, teaching engineering in the frozen north. Somewhat less professionally, he is a costumer, author, blacksmith, juggler, gamer, serial enthusiast, and supporter of the Oxford comma. He can be found on twitter and instagram @studentofwhim. If you like what I do here, feel free to leave a tip in my tipjar.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Check Also
Close
Back to top button