After an intense year and the cancellation of many life and work plans, our friend Escif finally got an opportunity to work outside of his studio and has decided to pay a visit to the iconic Parisian art printer, IDEM. Joining such names as Sophie Calle, JR, David Lynch, Paul McCarthy, Dennis Oppenheim, OSGEMEOS, and Raymond Pettibon, or Matisse, Picasso, Braque, Giacometti, and Calder before them, the Spanish artist used the studio's technique and expertise to produce a new limited edition print.
Developed from a street work he first painted in his hometown of Valencia back in October 2020, Burger King depicts an image of Ronald McDonald being attacked by a pack of dogs. In the artist's opinion, by recreating the mythological scene of Acteon devoured by his dogs the image perfectly synthesizes his particular vision of contemporary society. Just as a Greek hero experienced some form of karma when he was transformed into a stag and his raging hounds tore him apart, Ronnie here gets devoured by dogs just as his burgers are through the world. "Character representing one of the most popular hamburger chains in the world becomes a symbol and symptom of the most obscene face of our social system," the artist explains in the statement accompanying the release. "The hunted hunter has become the obscene clown that we all carry inside. The shadow of a system in crisis, drowned in excess, devours itself." Like most of Escif's thought-provoking works, Burger King is a charismatic work that is built on a very contemporary symbolic game, in which poetry and humor are combined with a perfect balance. "Easy to eat, difficult to digest," the artist concludes.
Alongside the print which is produced as a 12 color lithograph that immaculately captures the softness of Escif's watercolor drawings, the artist produced a teaser movie that complements the print image. Capable of functioning independently, as a short feature, the movie is a direct result of the artist's excitement and urge to work outside of his studio after a year of confinement. Releasing in an edition of 200 examples printed on BFK Rives 270 g/m2 paper with hand deckled edges, the prints measuring 70 x 50 cm will be available on Thursday, February 25, at 6 pm CET / 9 am PST at www.streetagainst.net.
Text by Sasha Bogojev
