The irreverent and whimsical street installations of Mark Jenkins, a web designer from Washington with a degree in geology, insist on a reaction from viewers. A man with his head in a wall of concrete, a figure on all fours heeding nature's call on a fire hydrant, a bicycle with a woman as the frame -- the work calls on urbanites to question the authenticity of all their surroundings but particularly their streets, a portion of the city that's so often uninspired and easily overlooked. The work begs the question: With all of our distractions--cars, ipods, phones, would we even notice if passed a pair of legs poking out from a trash bag? What about a body face down in a river? A little plastic storker tearing down a bus sign?
Jenkins' unsanctioned street installations are always temporary, and some have generated controversy. "It's good for people to remember public space is a battleground, with the government, advertisers and artists all mixing and mashing, and even now the strange cross-pollination taking place as street artists sometimes become brands, and brands camouflaging as street art creating complex hybrids or impersonators," Jenkins said an interview with Brian Sherwin. "I think it's understanding the strangeness of the playing field where you'll realize that painting street artists, writers, as the bad guys is a shallow view."
The Fridge, a new gallery in Eastern Market (which incidentally often seems to have a large number of bikes clustered around it), is showing a selection of Jenkins' work until May 9. Last night, I stopped by the opening of the show, which is collaboration between Jenkins and graffiti artist Tim Conlon, and took a few pictures.
A Mark Jenkins sculpture at the Fridge. (Credit: Voiland)
A Mark Jenkins sculpture at the Fridge. (Credit: Voiland)
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Bikes and a mural on the side of the Fridge. (Credit: Voiland)
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