In a strong followup to their hosting of Shepard Fairey’s wide-arcing Your Ad Here exhibition, V1 Gallery brings a new body of work from Wes Lang to their Copenhagen space. Last seen showing a series of works, entitled Sittin’ on a Rainbow in conjunction with OHWOW, that were completed during a month long stay at the historic Chateau Marmont, the Brooklyn-based artist expands upon his signature stream of consciousness drawings for his newest exhibition.
Including large acrylic and graphite works on paper, as well as a series of one-off bronze sculptures, Life and How to Live It revolves around Lang’s fascination with history and Americana, presented as a loose, poetic flow of thoughts, feelings, and memories intrinsically shared by all on some level. Rich in references to Native Americans, biker culture, folk music, pinup girls, and centered around living and dead American artists from Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan to Cy Twombly and Jean Michel Basquiat, the work serves as a personal meditation on our collective cultural heritage. The ubiquitous use of the skull, grim reaper, and other deathly tattoo iconography further reinforces the theme of the show, triggering perceptions of mortality and encouraging viewers to live in the moment. Life and How to Live It opened last weekend and runs through November 12th.
Check out some more installation shots as well as a selection of works from the exhibition after the jump.
