'good news!': a jake and dinos chapman hoax

‘hang this rebel’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2008 (collage)

good news! orel art, london july 8 – september 26, 2009

british artists jake and dinos chapman pull a prank, posing as fictional russian artists yuri and konstantin shamanov in the group show ‘good news!’ at orel art. the show describes the artists yuri and konstantin shamanov as ‘well known in russian underground art circles as the founders and leaders of a new art movement called chameleon’. however this description is completely fictional since the artists in question are actually the trickster chapman brothers. the work presented is comprised of a series of constructivist sculptures as well as small collages and drawings. this unusual prank makes the viewer wonder if the art is a joke or serious. this especially vague because the work of legitimate artists is being exhibited right next to these works.

works on paper, 1996-2008 by yuri and konstantin shamanov

‘runaway sculpture’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2007 (collage)

(left) ‘white man’s sculpture, black man’s burden’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2009(right) ‘voodoo venn diagram’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2009

‘natural history part iv’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2009

‘composition in space no. 16’ by yuri and konstantin shamanov, 2009