Troy Dugas: Centered

Troy Dugas... Justice 38 (2010, 38" diameter, cigar labels on cut paper). From the exhibition Troy Dugas: Centered at Barbara Archer Gallery in Atlanta, GA. "...Artists often see the extraordinary in the mundane, everyday world. Louisiana artist Troy Dugas brings this phenomenon to an entirely new level. In our consumer culture, the constant barrage of brand logos is familiar to the point of banality. Andy Warhol reflected this with his infamously snarky Brillo boxes. Product labels often do little more than subconsciously influence our purchasing habits. Rather than thoughtlessly dismissing this prosaic printed matter, Dugas is inspired to reconstruct the formal design elements into mesmerizing repetitious forms. The mandalas and woven compositions he creates are surprisingly beautiful. From a distance, the symmetrical forms have a meditative effect, pulsating with their own rhythm. A closer look reveals a dizzying array of meticulously placed text fragments, cropped images and other fractured graphic elements of the original label. The consumer context of the label is transformed into a new and refreshing language, singular to the artist. While the product of this translation is completely modern, his method is deeply rooted in the domestic traditions of crochet and quilting. Dugas' abstract minimalistic designs are at once sophisticated, witty and charming." More... Works by Troy Dugas at his personal site.