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Josephine Meckseper — The Material for "U.S.A."
Josephine Meckseper

The Material for "U.S.A."

A pristine plexiglas cube mounted on a polished metal stand houses an eclectic assembly of consumer and cultural artifacts — a martini glass, a mirrored ornament, a necklace, and an acrylic hand display — alongside a fragment of newspaper, inviting reflection on the seductive surfaces of American capitalism and mass media. Meckseper juxtaposes the language of luxury retail display with political ephemera, creating a kind of shrine to the contradictions embedded in U.S. consumer culture. The inclusion of a formal metal plaque and wooden plinth lends the work an air of institutional authority, further blurring the line between commodity fetishism and critical commentary.

Medium
plexiglas cube, newspaper, metal stand, acrylic hand display, metal plaque, martini glass, mirrored ornament, necklace, wood plinth

🔨 Auction Lot

Contemporary Art Day Sale

October 15, 2015

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About this work

Josephine Meckseper, The Material for "U.S.A."

A pristine plexiglas cube mounted on a polished metal stand houses an eclectic assembly of consumer and cultural artifacts — a martini glass, a mirrored ornament, a necklace, and an acrylic hand display — alongside a fragment of newspaper, inviting reflection on the seductive surfaces of American capitalism and mass media. Meckseper juxtaposes the language of luxury retail display with political ephemera, creating a kind of shrine to the contradictions embedded in U.S. consumer culture. The inclusion of a formal metal plaque and wooden plinth lends the work an air of institutional authority, further blurring the line between commodity fetishism and critical commentary.

Medium
plexiglas cube, newspaper, metal stand, acrylic hand display, metal plaque, martini glass, mirrored ornament, necklace, wood plinth
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

Consumer Culture, German Artist, Assemblage, Americana Theme, Consumer Culture Critique, Cool Tones, Critical Commentary, Mixed Media, Mixed Media Installation, Conceptual Art, Contemporary Artist, American Artist, Political Commentary, Installation Art, 21st Century, Reflective Materials, Contemporary Art, Political Art, Three-Dimensional, Female Artist

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