Welancora is pleased to present Mirror of the Times, Chris Cook’s second solo exhibition at the gallery. The exhibition will be on view from September 7 to October 3, 2024. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 6;30pm-9:30pm at 410 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, our temporary project space.
Composed of an ongoing series of acrylic paintings, the works in the exhibition serve as Cook’s method of stimulating a dialogue between the tangible and intangible as it relates to varied socio-economic and political issues in the United States. The title, Mirror of the Times, draws reference to the 19th century publication of the same name: the first African American newspaper published in California. Through an exploration of social and cultural paradigms, Cook manipulates print media to reveal the ways propaganda and stereotypes seep into popular culture to shape our world view. Harnessing a pop-art influence, he deletes, crosses out, rewrites, and replaces imagery, taglines and main cover lines to challenge long-held narratives by creating his own. Prominent publications and vintage posters, including Time, Jet, and Life Magazine, are reimagined through satire and commentary. Headlines from the 1930s are referenced as a means of commenting on current events and in so doing become a testament to the persistent and unchanging issues that continue to exist in the American zeitgeist.
