Molly Crabapple's 'Shell Game' Paintings Depict A Year In Crisis From Occupy Wall Street To Anonymous Hacks

Activist artist Molly Crabapple's new series of paintings titled "Shell Game" at Smart Clothes Gallery in New York portray a darkly humorous year in cartoonish figures.

Her canvases tackle global turmoil in 2011, including the rise of Occupy Wall Street, Anonymous hackers, the health insurance crisis, the Tunisian Revolution, protests in Greece, and the Spanish M15 movement.

While "Shell Game" bursts with depictions of corruption and violence, for Crabapple, the past few years have been a mix of birth amid destruction. "Yes, it was awful, but it was also magic, she told Wired in an interview. "It was the magic of people speaking to each other, waking up, helping each other. For every person beaten up, everyone arrested, it was also a year of fierce aliveness."

Like Hannah Hoch's politically-charged Dadaist collages or Frida Kahlo's symbolic works, in Crabapple's paintings a political message emerges from the visual chaos.

As Occupy Wall Street unfolded right outside her window, Crabapple sketched posters for the movement in real time. "Shell Game" began as a Kickstarter project. It's worth noting that her paintings about the power of a united crowd would not have been possible without crowdsourcing.

"Shell Game" will be on view April 14 - 23 at Smart Clothes Gallery in New York.

• 'A New England'

  "Protester, foxes, and police dog hounds, with referances to CCTV cams, the phone hacking scandal, UK Uncut, the Fortnam and Mason sit in. The main figure is modeled after my friend and journalist Laurie Penny" -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Debt and Her Debtors'

  "About debt, unsurprisingly, and the false promise and extreme falls it offers." -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Degage'

  "The Tunisian Revolution. The main figure's face is divided in a reference to Nadia Jelassi. The police dog destroys a fruit stand, like that of Mohammad Bouazizi." -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Great American Bubble Machine'

  "Inspired by the Matt Taibbi article of the same name" -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Indignada'

  "Spanish m15 anti-austerity movement. The woman becomes a building representing the Museo Municipal, and is decked with Spanish republican flags. Toma La Calle was a slogan of m15," -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Our Lady of Liberty Park'

  "Occupy Wall Street. An anatomy of Zuccotti park, from the free cigarette table to the obnoxious drum circle to the people's library, with appearances by Tim Pool, Shamar Thomas and Tony Bologna. All signage is authentic, especially 'Shit is Fucked up and bullshit'" -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Syntagma Athena'

  "Greek anti-austerity protests. All graffiti is real, translated from my trip to Athens. The protester dogs are Loukanikos, Greek's famous riot dog. The main figure has Maalox, a DIY teargas remedy, over her eyes" -- Crabapple. Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'The Business of Illness'

  Healthcare crisis in America. The Hippocratic oath is written on the receipt-body of the main figure." -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'The Hivemind'

  "Hacktivists. References to Anonymous, LulzSec, HB Gary, Telecomix, Tor, the Pirate Party, and of course Nyan Cat" -- Crabapple. Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

• 'Wheel Of Fortune'

  "A wheel of fortune. It will spin." -- Crabapple Molly Crabapple, 2012-13 On view at Smart Clothes Gallery, April 10th-22nd.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/06/molly-crabapple-shell-game-paintings_n_3016474.html

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