Fifty-five young, international artists have "remastered" celebrated works from "Guernica" by Pablo Picaso and "Gabrielle d'Estree and Her Sister" by Ecole de Fontainbleau to "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt. The transformations by Kenzo Minami, Vincent Skeltis, Mika Machida, Antoine et Manuel, etc., result in a collection of reinterpretations infused with expressive imagery and insightful wit in a wide variety of styles. While the artist interviews and texts by the curator provide depth into the history and context of the juxtaposed works, the artworks reveal cutting-edge techniques and applications defining contemporary visual culture.
In this book, a new generation of artists and designers defining today's visual deconstruct iconic masterpieces by pre-eminent masters from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance through to the 20th century and re-contextualize them to contemporary culture. "We have been so extensively exposed to these images that we automatically assign them the mythical status of masterpieces, but rarely look to understand what makes them so unique" says Curator Sebastien Agneessens.
Agneesens has commissioned fifty-five international visual artists to "remaster" celebrated works from "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso and "Gabrielle d'Estree and her Sister" by Ecole de Fontainbleau to "The Kiss" by Gustav Klimt. The transformations by renowned contemporary artists and designers include Kenzo Minami, Vincent Skeltis, Mika Machida, Antoine et Manuel, Insect and more. The result is a collection of reinterpretations infused with energy, expressive imagery, insightful wit and socio-political commentary in a wide variety of styles.
Each contemporary image is juxtaposed alongside the original masterpiece on a double-page spread, with comments from both the artists and the curator, lending depth and insight to the interpretations giving readers the opportunity to reencounter the classics.