Monk, Jonathan | Backside Brussels II, 2016 — available on Composition Gallery

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Acrylic sculpture; signature on certificate; perfect condition

Backside Brussels II by Jonathan Monk is a conceptual acrylic wall sculpture from 2016, playing with themes of perception, humor, and iconic imagery. The artwork features a minimalistic white box with a small black dot at its center. This dot, upon inspection, is revealed to represent the back of a miniature Manneken Pis statue, the famous Brussels fountain figure. Hidden on the back of the box, this tiny sculpture adds an unexpected twist to the simple exterior, inviting the viewer to reconsider first impressions and discover what lies beyond. Each piece in this limited edition of 14 sculptures features a unique variant of the Manneken Pis, making each artwork distinct. The sculpture is signed on a certificate by Monk, highlighting his approach to blending playful irony with minimalist design.

Jonathan Monk (UK, 1969) is a conceptual artist whose work reinterprets and challenges art history with wit and irony. Using diverse media, including photography, sculpture, and performance, he engages in playful dialogues with iconic artists and movements. Monk’s works blur originality and appropriation, inviting viewers to question the boundaries of contemporary art.

Jonathan Monk

Backside Brussels II, 2016

Name: Backside Brussels II, 2016
SKU: 8957
Price: 800.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Form

Sculpture / Object

Sculpture / ObjectA sculpture is a three-dimension object made using any one of the basic sculpting processes. These include carving, casting, constructing or modeling. Carving materials may be bone, ivory, stone or wood. Modeling and casting use clay or wax, while constructions glue materials together.

Medium

Acrylic sculpture

Acrylic sculptureAcrylic sculpture refers to both a process and the resulting object. The artist begins by creating a sculpture from clay, plaster, or epoxy, which is then used to make a flexible mold. Melted acrylic is poured into the mold, and once it cures, the acrylic piece is hand-finished through sanding and polishing. Acrylic sculptures are valued for their clarity, durability, and ability to achieve intricate details.

Edition

Unique from an edition of 14

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Acrylic sculpture; signature on certificate; perfect condition

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Sculpture / Object

Acrylic sculpture

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Backside Brussels III, 2016

Sculpture / Object

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Limited Edition Print

Lithograph

EUR 3,200

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Limited Edition Print

Drypoint

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Painting

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Sculpture / Object

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Is it or is it not or can it or can it not be?
- Jonathan Monk

Jonathan Monk is a British artist living and working in Berlin, Germany. He creates photographs, film, sculpture and installation pieces which are thought to be humorous reinterpretations of works by Sol LeWitt, Ed Ruscha, and John Baldessari to name some. Monk often uses quotations to give new ideas to works viewed as seminal in their time, adding quirkiness to challenge the value of the artwork. Jonathan Monk's upbringing in a working class environment is viewed by some as his source for taking the artistic and adding the mundane in ways that encourage viewers to think differently about specific art pieces than they may have before. Jonathan Monk has works exhibited throughout the world. His Tears, 2005 photograph shows a passport photo with the eyes completely covered by a pair of drop earrings placed to represent tears. His Painting of a photo of a photo of a painting, 2008, has images of a purple vase filled with yellow sunflowers, both in photograph image and then drawn in markers. The greeting “Get Well Soon” is one of three witty, hand-lettered greetings included. These are only two of the pieces which have established Jonathan Monk's reputation as a humorist in the art world.

Artwork by Roger Raveel

What is new figuration?

Neo-Figurative Art is a collective term that refers to the revival of figurative art in America and Europe during the 1960s, following a period dominated by abstraction. Michel Ragon, a French art critic, argued that this resurgence of figuration occurred during a critical time of social and political upheaval in both regions.

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Jonathan Monk

Backside Brussels II, 2016

40 x 40 x 4 cm

Language & Currency

Jonathan Monk