In a world of mindful affirmations and positive reinforcement, Spanish artist Joan Cornellá is the negative kick in the shins we deserve, and probably need. This little show finds him flexing his art muscles, rather than the cartoon strips he’s known for, with a series of drawings, paintings and a ridiculous sculpture.
He’s a precise drawer. Every face has the same half-moon smile, the same dead eyes, all with classic cartoon silhouettes, presented neatly, accurately, precisely. But the aesthetic is only part of it, because Cornellá’s real weapon is his subject matter. And it’s not nice.
Two kids smile over a birthday cake that says ‘no one loves you’, a couple of women play basketball with a baby, a man’s ears bleed while a woman plays acoustic guitar to him. And throughout it, everyone smiles. The one sculpture shows a man hanging himself while taking a selfie. Jeez, Cornellá is nasty, critical, cynical, misanthropic, but it’s great.
It feels like he’s reaching into your head, plucking out your grimmest thoughts and presenting them back to you with a smile. ‘I’m full of shit’ says one work. ‘You are a fat piece of shit’ says another. I mean, come on, that’s just what every sensible, intelligent person says when they look in the mirror in the morning, isn’t it? Cornellá is exposing the blackened, horrible, negative heart of modern living, pumping its vile bile through society’s veins.
These are surreal, grotesque, vicious non-sequiturs; visual gags with offensive punchlines. But when you look at a painting that says ‘remember: your life sucks’, at least you know you’re not alone. There’s some comfort in that, really.
@eddyfrankel