It’s not often that the artists of Phoenix delve into the territory of hyperrealism, preferring the emotive expression of stylistic art. However, one unnamed street artist turned that stigma on its head with “Shipping Container,” a mixed media work depicting a shipping container—and so much more.
The cold metallic textures of the work evoke themes of industry and capitalism, contrasting Smithian ideals with the pragmatics of logistics. The touches of rust-like texturing brought in a tone of derelict age, showing the toll such economic principles have on the physical world.
The space the artist chose to display his work in was another bold move in itself. The corner of Seventh and W. Jefferson streets was the perfect venue for the work. Devoid of the trappings of any structured gallery or exhibit, the work stood out as a naturalized object. It was a setting where the art was defined by how inconspicuous it seemed.
An interesting artistic touch was the inclusion of the chain and padlock on the door of the piece. It seemed a challenge to the viewer, enforcing the idea that we can’t know everything. This combined with the fact that the work was only accessible after scaling a chain-link fence made for an experience truly demanding of a viewer’s attention and efforts.
Maybe the most engaging aspect of the work as a whole was the performance piece accompanying it. Over the course of one viewing the work, several actors dressed as construction workers will approach and ask you to leave, repeatedly and with increased agitation. It was a revolutionary moment for me. It was art literally geared to repel the viewer, demanding a respect of expression as an independent force. The actors invoked themes of ownership with lines such as “what are you doing here” and “this is private property.”
The moment was also an emotional high, as the actors—never breaking character—flawlessly escalated their performances from gentle requests to shouting obscenities and threatening to call the police.
It was an exhaustive experience, but one I would highly recommend to anyone interested in meta-artistic commentaries.
