THE CAPITAL IS PRESENT Acrylic on Canvas 80 cm X 105 cm 2022
In this playful painting by Basqkek, we see the performance art duo Marina Abramovich and Ulay reenacting their iconic 1980 work "Rest Energy." In the original performance, the two stood facing each other, with Abramovich holding a bow and arrow aimed at Ulay's chest, while Ulay held the string of the bow with his own teeth.
In this painting, however, the scene is quite different. Abramovich and Ulay are still facing each other, but a large tungsten cube sits on the ground between them instead of a bow and arrow. The cube is etched with the words "DENSE," adding a humorous twist to the performance, as it becomes more familiar to the tungsten DAO legendary meme.
Additionally, the character Pepe the Frog is depicted sitting on top of the tungsten cube, rather than standing on it as one might expect. This unexpected placement of Pepe adds to the playful and humorous tone of the piece. The use of Pepe the Frog and the tongue-in-cheek text of "Capital is Present" suggests that the artist is poking fun at the sometimes-serious world of performance art, the crypto world, and the idea of capitalism's influence on the art world and crypto art.
The inclusion of the tungsten cube adds to this lighthearted commentary, as tungsten is a highly dense and heavy element, symbolizing the weight and importance placed on the art world. By depicting Pepe comfortably seated on top of the tungsten cube, the artist playfully subverts this notion of weight and importance, suggesting that even the heaviest and most imposing forces can be undermined with a dose of humor and whimsy.
THE PRIMARY BUYER WILL RECEIVE THE ORIGINAL PAINTING.
