In Depth Research about Josh Kline
Josh Kline is one of the aritst’s that we saw at the Biennial.
Josh Kline was born in Philadelphia, now living in New York. He works as an artist, collaborator and a curator. His artwork mainly related to the theme of the philosophy of post-humanism. Humanism is basically a system of thought which is connected to prime importance to a human being rather an a supernatural matters or any other matters. The belief of a humanist focuses on the value of goodness of human beings, they also emphasize the common needs of any human being an also only look at rational ways to solve a human problem.
His work mainly focuses on his concern with technological innovations, and how they impact humans. For him, he says, “it is about technology changing what it means to be human.”
His sculptures and installation mainly are of body parts, sanitizing products, and pharmaceuticals. They also reference issues related to politics, health, labour, and hygiene.
Here are some of his pieces:
Packing for Peanuts (Fedex Worker’s Hand with Glove), 2014.
4 3-D Printed sculptures in palsters with inkjet ink and cynaocrylate, cast urethane foam
packing peanuts, vinyl, carboard, MDF.Ed of 3 plus 2 APS
35 x 36 x 12 in (88.9 x 91.4 x 30.4 cm)
Packing for Peanuts (Fedex Worker;s Head with Knit Cap) 2014,
3 3D-printed sculptures in plaster with inket ink and cyanoacrylate,
cast urethane foam packing peanuts, cinyl, cardboard,
MDF. AP 1/1 plus ed. of 3 35x27x27 in.
Installation view of the Whitney Biennial 2019 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, May 17-September 22, 2019). From left to right: Josh Kline, American Flag, Supreme Court of the United States, Washington D.C., 2019; Josh Kline, Deck, Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, Menlo Park, 2019; Josh Kline, 432 Park Avenue, Manhattan, 2019; Josh Kline, Statue of Ronald Reagan, United States Capitol Rotunda, Washington D.C., 2019; Josh Kline, Front Desk, Twitter Headquarters, San Francisco, 2019; Josh Kline, United States Capitol, Washington D.C., 2019; Josh Kline, Luxury Home, Los Altos Hills, 2019; Josh Kline, Skyline, San Francisco, 2019. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Josh Kline, “Representative Government” (2019), Potomac River mud, epoxy, silicone epoxy, plexiglas tank, powder coated steel frame, vacuformed plastic, digital prints on vinyl, reservoir tank, pump, fan, ocean water, silicone molds, freezer, 50 × 13 × 60 inches, edition of 3 plus II AP, photo by Joerg Lohse (all images courtesy the artist and 47 Canal)
The piece Representative Government is filled halfway with teal murky water. On top of it, are the government buildings, such as the White House and the Kremlin, depict a fictitious coastal city. Below it, the contours of the submerged landmass on which the city has been built are in clear view. An actual ice block rests on the platform, representing a glacier. As the ice block melts, the water line creeps higher up the model buildings, a process repeated daily as the excess water gets drained from the vitrine and refrozen to become the next day’s ice block.
Bibliography:
https://www.artsy.net/artist/josh-kline
https://www.google.com/search?q=humannism+define&oq=humannism+define&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.4263j1j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
https://hyperallergic.com/501157/josh-klines-water-world/
