Aicon Contemporary is proud to present new works by Katja Larsson in The Armory Show’s inaugural Off-Site presentation.
Larsson's work examines the semiotics of branded objects independent of their pre-coded selves and considers their natural language contexts. For Armory Off-Site, she has created two sculptures, Empire and Materially Superior, both titles taken from text found in streetwear branding. These sculptures, part of a series titled, New Neo Classics, reinterprets contemporary clothing items as antique artifacts and offers interpretation through a neoclassical lens. The artist imbues ordinary goods with a sense of the heroic or epic, challenging the viewer to reframe their perception of everyday objects. Larsson's work draws our attention to the ever-lasting echoes of classical icons present throughout history, as well as timeless feudal archetypes such as ruler and subject. Through her work, Larsson questions this co-incidence and makes a statement about society at large. Genuine baseball caps were cast using a chemical enlargement process to reveal each embroidered thread and cotton fiber. Through utilizing environmentally conscious eco-resin and built-in natural stone, these works carry the physicality of ancient relics with all the benefits of modern technology.
Armory Off-Site is an outdoor public art initiative presented in partnership with the Hudson River Park Trust. Katja Larsson’s work will be on view at Pier 64, 24th Street, Hudson River Park, from September 9th - December 2021.