Boundary Breaking in Art: CRASH and ‘Parasite’
On February 9th, film enthusiasts around the world collectively held their breaths as South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, in a historical moment, received Best Picture for his film ‘Parasite.’ It was the first non-English film to be awarded Best Picture by the Academy and the first Oscar for the director’s home country.
The film is set in South Korea and covers the issues of class inequality through two families from two strikingly different income levels. A riveting, satirical thriller, ‘Parasite,’ despite being in Korean, was able to break language and cultural boundaries through an issue affecting society as a whole today. Beyond the incredibly successful awards season the film had with winning the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes and two awards at the British Academy Film Awards, to name a few, I believe ‘Parasite’ achieved something greater by breaking boundaries and offering more representation on screen.
We were all able to experience once again how powerful art can be through ‘Parasite.’ Art is able to expand and broaden our imaginations through its different perspectives. More importantly, art provides opportunities for us to grow and evolve with it. As Oscar Wilde famously stated in his essay “The Decay of Lying,” “life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” Life attempts to encapsulate the expression and beauty that art is able to exude. We are stimulated by the boundaries art dares us to break.
John “CRASH” Matos’ art similarly has broken boundaries. Despite working as a graffiti artist since age 13, CRASH is one of the first artists in his discipline to define graffiti as art. With his 1980 curation of “Graffiti Art Success for America” at Fashion MODA, CRASH has been a fundamental figure of expanding art’s definition to encompass graffiti.
For those of you who have visited our New York location, CRASH’s art is one of the first things that greet you. In CRASH’s signature style, among the bursts of vivid pinks, blues, and greens an eye longingly meets your gaze. The piece speaks to the revolutionary work CRASH has done for graffiti and the art world— opening up people’s eyes to the expressive and passionate power of art.
Install View, JoAnne Artman Gallery-New York, John "CRASH" M
Currently on view at our New York location, “The Back Room” features more of CRASH’s works as well as artwork by Greg Miller, Matt Devine, and Anthony Hunter.
