Purple Diary
[October 23 2011]
NINE PATRIOTIC HYMNS FOR CHILDREN BY BANKS VIOLETTE, THADDAEUS ROPAC GALLERY
The American artist Banks Violette presents his first drawing exhibition with Thaddaeus Ropac’s Paris gallery space. Nine Patriotic Hymns For Children (referencing the 1991 LP of the American punk band Hard Core) continues Violette’s interest Romantic void exhausted imagery. In this exhibition, the artist considers the theatrics of drawings and their activation of the gallery space previously displayed in his monumental sculpture and neon installations. Many of the exquisite graphite works include collage elements, aluminum frames, and jut forward into the space. Violette’s disregard for uniform height and placement of some works on the floor feels natural rather than forced. With this exhibition, the artist continues to build upon a long standing narrative which asks viewers to reconsider the iconography of subcultures. The cohesiveness of his body of work serves as an example to the younger generation of artists who focus on trendy materials and provocative content with disregard for tradition. Until November 19 at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, 7 rue Debelleyme, Paris. Photo and text Juliana Balestin.
