polly apfelbaum abstracts pop culture imagery for mojo jojo

polly apfelbaum abstracts
image © designboom

throughout her work, new york based artist polly apfelbaum examines postwar abstraction in relationship to popular culture. the work occupying the gallery floor at the perez art museum, miami refers to the sinister monkey character from the popular cartoon series, ‘the power puff girls’.‘mojo jojo’ is made from hundreds of shaped pieces of dyed velvet — using all 104 colors produced by the french fabric dye company sennelier — placed directly onto the ground. spanning 18 feet in diameter, the massive spiral is rich in varying colors and hues, changing their value depending on both the angle of the viewer and the light that enters the space. an important aspect of the work to apfelbaum is this captured sense of fluidity, as the chroma is constantly evolving and moving along with the observer. its circular geometry and fabric dyes reference the carpets, quilts, and domestic hand-crafts that were influential to the artist during the 1907s, while tie-dye, popular during the late 1960s inform the palette. ‘mojo jojo’ is currently shown for the exhibition ‘americana: formalizing craft’ from now until may 2015.

exhibition view
image © designboom

detail
image © designboom