Jason Alper
The man behind the scenes of some of the most biting commentaries made about our current society has found himself at home in quite a few different mediums. Jason Alper may be best known as the man who put Sacha Baron Cohen in the instantly recognizable mankini or helped create the wardrobe of Cohen’s famous faux late night talk show host, but his work extends further beyond that than simply clothing today’s most poignant social commentators. The London native has taken to a completely different medium but carried the same propensity for throwing obvious irony into the face of popular culture.
Artwork
Alper’s Works in Oil
Though not a medium enjoying the same popularity it once had, oil paintings have made a re-emergence in Alper’s latest pieces. The artist put our label driven, consumer society up to the mirror with his reworkings of classic paintings. Taking the renowned Mona Lisa or Laughing Cavalier and splaying the iconic Loius Vuitton logo across the canvas, he found a way to inject his brand of comedy into his artwork. Classic paintings are not the only focus of the artist’s commentary, iconic public symbols have had their day as well. Alper took the instantly recognizable LOVE symbol of Philadelphia’s Kennedy Plaza and interjected a bit of irony, this time literally reworking the word into his piece. The American flag has even found its way into his collection with a re-envisioning featuring painted grenades and rifles. The piece humorously named “My America” is the perfect example of the effortless way Alper combines art, humor, and his sense of perception to make often bold statements about the way we live.
Alper’s Draws From His Keen Sense of Environment
Though each different facet of Alper’s work varies in tone as well as medium, a common thread is always present, regardless of the way it is being created a specific perception of our modern times is always put on display. Whether it be by combining the logos of corporations or openly critiquing views on stereotypes, Alper has found a way to both be humorous and extremely telling at the same time. His collaborations with Sacha Baron Cohen on the actor’s film Brüno, aptly displays his awareness and position on incorrectly held beliefs society often uses to summarize character types. The influence his long-time collaborator has had on his individual art pieces is definitely present in his stylings as he is unafraid to portray the irony found throughout society.