ENGAGING MASTERS: Parody Art

ENGAGING MASTERS: Parody Art

Las Cruces Museum of Art

February 07 - May 03, 2025

The focus of this show at the Las Cruces Museum of Art is on the ways contemporary artists borrow from history to create something new. These artists weave art history with today’s popular culture, creating pictures within pictures. You will see equal measures of playfulness and nostalgia, much of it tapping into our collective imagination, incorporating iconic images and brands.

In this show, you'll see Warhol's Marilyn Monroe decked out in Native American attire. Caravaggio's Bacco in psychedelic colors. Picasso's Guernica juxtaposed with modern interpretations of war. Van Gogh's work on a box of crayons. Snap, Crackle and Pop in a Picasso scene. Haring's work in a bathtub scenario. Kids will love this show, though they may look to you for some interpretation. For you, you'll see images that will take you back in memory to commercials, print media, and museums you have perhaps visited. There is some flesh here, though tastefully portrayed. The art is on canvas, wood, ceramics, and sculpture.  

The success of any parody depends on the audience’s familiarity with the work. In fact, a large part of what makes parodies so popular is the way they make the viewer feel ‘in on the joke.’ Warhol was a master at parody, transforming singular recognizable advertisements--such as Brillo Boxes and Campbell's Soup Cans--and with tongue firmly in cheek, turning them into works of art.

With many of the pieces, a closer examination reveals something serious, that wasn’t evident at first glance. In the show, there is a tongue-in-cheek reference to artists such as Picasso, Warhol, Van Gogh, Caravaggio, and others.

A good parody is imitation with a twist. In other words, it closely imitates the form it mocks, but it also requires close attention to detail. The principle of appropriation and parody is to use known works, to give them another meaning. These exaggerations take an aspect of the original, serious version and push it to the extremes. The outcome is art that resonates across generations. 

Under US law, the fair use doctrine allows for the use of a trademark in a parody if it is used for commentary, criticism, new reporting, teaching, or research. In essence, the parody must transform the original trademark by adding additional elements that help differentiate it from the original. Thus, in this show, the ‘girl’ with a pearl earring is a dog; Warhol’s Marilyn is in Native American attire; and Van Gogh’s self portrait is on a box of crayons.

ARTISTS INCLUDED IN THIS EXHIBIT INCLUDE:

• Philip Gladstone
• Ryan Singer
• Ben Steele
• Ren Ming
• Clare Hartmann
• Pat Hobart

The 10 most parodied artworks of all time include:

• American Gothic, 1930 
• Mona Lisa, 1503
• The Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1829-1832
• The Birth of Venus, 1484-1486
• The Last Supper, 1495-1498
• Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665
• The Scream, 1893
• The Thinker, 1880-1904
• Starry Night, 1889
• Nighthawks, 1942