Artist Jody Paulsen is currently showing his new solo exhibition Pushing Thirty at SMAC Gallery in Cape Town.
Everything from the fuzzy texture of his felt collages, to his floor installations are a point of entry into a mix of bright colours and cheeky slogans; curious eyes are invited to look a little closer. Felt as a playful medium, creates a sense of nostalgia with the fabric associated with arts and crafts during childhood. Jody puts a twist on this association by dealing with adult themes in his work. His work offers a critical eye on identity construction and queer politics, as well as on consumer culture, often addressing more than one of these themes in an artwork. Jody provides commentary on the discriminatory laws against LGBT communities in countries such as Uganda, and offers pieces in celebration of sexual diversity. The layering of images in his collage work leaves no empty space. However, his work is crowded in a way that does not leave one feeling claustrophobic. Instead your eye is darting across the surface of the work, trying to take it all in. His use of fonts which mimic graffiti and branding typography, as well as other popular culture iconography draw attention to consumer culture, with slogans that highlight the realness of approaching adulthood. His exhibition also includes a series of photographs where he presents himself as the subject.
His show continues at SMAC Gallery until the 25th of March.
