Barminski: Moon Lands On Man

Renowned for his cardboard sculpture artworks, Barminski participated in Banksy’s dystopian theme park Dismaland in 2015 and Museum Belowground curated by JPS Gallery in 2021. He proudly expressed that he creates these works because they are fun and interesting, all whilst allowing visitors the opportunity to interact with artworks in a way that is different from the traditional gallery experience. As a talented multidisciplinary artist living in the era of Artificial Intelligence (Al), he used ChatGPT to write an artist statement about this show. In addition, his diverse skill set led him to create a different unique visual and auditory experience for each of the three areas in the exhibition space.

In contradiction to the overarching theme of Moon Lands On Man, visitors will first step into a colourful toy store filled with a series of cardboard sculptures created by the artist. The toy store is a place of escape from reality so they can fully immerse themselves in a world of blissful childhood memories. One cannot help but smile when they notice the artist’s elaborate production as he also handcrafted a large number of playful props—ranging from burning cigarettes and a bag of potato chips to a nostalgic payphone and a life-size astronaut.

Passing through the staff corridor, he will lead the visitors into the restricted area in the Department of Defence, the mysterious military facility known as “Area 51”. In this highly classified control room, the entire installation replicates the exact control room of Apollo 11, with screens playing footage of the moon landing. Also displayed throughout the room are original paintings by the artist featuring recognisable faces, such as the former president of the United States, John F Kennedy and American astronaut Neil Armstrong. Inside the room is a studio door with an “On Air” sign mounted above, where the startling “truth” awaits them. Walking into the film set where the first moon landing was staged and filmed, they are forced to reckon with the idea that what they have always believed to be “true” was all a show in this political gambit. Does it mean that anything proved to be “true” must be “real” in today’s world?

Barminski described his cardboard artworks as simultaneously real and fake as it depends on the viewer’s expectation. If they expect it to be a real Star Wars toy, then it’s fake. If they expect it to be a piece of art, then it’s real. A toy utopia lives within everyone’s heart, but societal issues that warrant their attention and insight continue to exist, so Barminski’s dark yet humorous take on these topics encourages everyone to discover the truth behind authenticity and falsehood.

His most recognisable work is Security Theatre, the life-size interactive paper sculpture served as the entrance to Banksy’s apocalyptic dystopian theme park, Dismaland in 2015.The artist’s paintings explore issues of consumerism and advertising, shedding critical light on the modern consumer culture and the impact of mass media on one’s life. His mechanically animated two-mouth image of a happy consumer became part of the Hollywood skyline in 1998 for two years as a feature in the AbsolutVodka billboard series.The neon billboard was Barminski’s manifestation of the absurdity of the modern mentality of “I buy, therefore I am”. Barminski’s work can be found at the groundbreaking street art exhibition space BEYOND THE STREETS in Los Angeles and New York.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Barminski attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a frequent contributor of satirical cartoons to the student newspaper. Barminski has worked with other cultural outlets, most notably as the director of Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning music video, Everybody’s Free (ToWear Sunscreen) in 1999.The video’s success then led him to work with various artists, including Gnarls Barkley, Kid Cudi and Death Cab for Cutie. Besides the arts, Barminski is also a lecturer in the Department of Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), focusing on the research in digital projection mapping. The artist currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.