Ron English

Ron English is a contemporary pop artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising.

Work

One aspect of his work involves 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel, McDonalds, and Mickey Mouse. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of agit-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate iconographies so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House". Some of his paintings are also used in
Morgan Spurlock's documentary "Super Size Me".

[http://www.songsinenglish.com/ Songs In English] is the world's first blog-as-you-go recording project. It is based on the lyrics of World Renowned [http://www.popaganda.com/ Ron English] and Brooklyn songwriter [http://www.electricghosts.com/ Jack Medicine] . The project is being arranged and produced by the high energy rock stylings of [http://www.velvetrut.com/ Velvet Rut] .

English has also collaborated with Daniel Johnston and Jack Medicine in the "Hyperjinx Tricycle" project.

Inspiration

English takes inspiration from Andy Warhol and references him in his work. He also references the band KISS, and various cartoons. Also inspiration comes from the large billboards and posters he sees outside his city apartment, usually fast food companies.

English also references Picasso's Guernica. He has created dozens of versions, transforming the original Spanish civilian characters into Disney characters, Peanuts characters, soccer players, schoolchildren, and many others. He also painted the world's largest version of Guernica at the Station Museum in Houston. It is one foot longer and one foot wider than Picasso's original and features schoolchildren playacting the violent scene of the original.

ee also

* street pop (art movement)

Fame

English is now the subject of a Pedro Carvajal documentary entitled "Popaganda" named after one of his art books (Popaganda).

External links

* [http://www.popaganda.com/ Popaganda]
* [http://www.operagallery.com/artist.aspx?id=66 Opera Gallery Collection]
* [http://beinart.org/artists/ron-english/ Ron English - Surreal Art Collective]
* [http://www.songsinenglish.com/ Songs In English - Music Project]
* [http://www.culturecatch.com/vidcast/ron_english Ron's Vidcast Interview on CultureCatch.com]
* [http://www.studioapart.com]
* [http://www.scion.com/broadband/index.html?ch=0&sh=4&ep=14 Interview on the Scion Website]