Wes Lang’s The Words Fit the Picture showcases the artist’s signature use of memento mori, the integration of handwritten text and American motorcycle aesthetics alongside stylistic references to Cy Twombly, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Franz Kline to create a distinctive iconography of post-Pop Americana. Containing numerous skeletons and grim reapers juxtaposed with positive textual affirmations such as ‘THINGS CAN ONLY IMPROVE’ and ‘NEVER FELT SO GOOD BEFORE’, the present work is a key example of Lang’s engagement with the fragility of life and ritualistic use of memento mori and mantras to inspire gratitude and positivity. Lang describes the imagery as “a constant reminder to myself and the viewers to stay present and to do everything you possibly can to move your life forward in a positive direction while you’ve got the chance to do it”.i
The present work was exhibited in the artist’s 2014 institutional debut at the aRoS Museum of Art in Aarhus. The exhibition presented over fifty works alongside the artist’s commercial collaborations with brands including Harley Davidson and Rolex. For the exhibition, Lang’s entire studio was moved from Los Angeles to the museum and faithfully recreated, including patinated furniture, ephemera, ornaments and a collage of sketches and Playboy pages loosely arranged on the walls. The display of Lang’s studio as part of the exhibition helped to deconstruct the mythology of the private studio space and acted as a display of the visual influences in the exhibited works such as The Words Fit the Picture. Describing the role of his studio in his process, Lang claimed “I surround myself with different information. Some stuff is always on the wall, some gets moved around. Some stuff gets glued onto a painting, some gets thrown out.”ii
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