chinese artist shen shaomin’s latest paintings are a brain-bending and beautiful mix of masterpiece and meticulous detail. his ‘MoMA’ series tricks the eye into believing that bubble wrap binds paintings in a layer of protective plastic, when it is actually an entirely hand-painted pattern. on view at klein sun gallery from now through april 29th, 2017, the pieces depict reproductions of iconic paintings from various artistic movements like surrealism, and abstract impressionism, rendered as if wrapped in a semi-transparent packaging and ready to be shipped.

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handle with care – MoMA no. 15, 2017
oil on canvas | 74 3/4 x 47 1/4 inches (190 x 120 cm)
all images courtesy klein sun gallery, © shen shaomin

 

 

on view as part the ‘keep upright’ exhibition at new york’s klein sun gallery, the series is drawn from MoMA’s extensive collection of paintings. exploring the ‘pre-installation’ condition of art, shaomin reproduces masterpieces from MoMA and renders a hyper-realistic layer of bubble wrap and tape around them, appearing as if they’re ready for shipment. by ‘removing’ the paintings from their original home, ‘repacking’ and ‘moving’ them to klein sun gallery, shaomin seeks to emphasize the economic circulation of art. simultaneously — in copying famous paintings acquired by major museums — shaomin intends to critique institutional system of promoting ‘celebrity’ artworks.   

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handle with care – MoMA no. 20, 2017
oil on canvas | 85 1/4 x 64 7/8 inches (216.5 x 164.8 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 8, 2017
oil on canvas | 28 7/8 x 24 inches (73.4 x 60.8 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 4, 2017
oil on canvas | 45 5/8 x 32 inches (116 x 81.4 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 12, 2017
oil on canvas | 75 5/8 x 59 5/8 inches (192.1 x 151.4 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 7, 2017
oil on canvas | 51 x 39 1/4 inches (129.6 x 99.6 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 19, 2016
oil on canvas | 50 x 50 inches (127 x 127 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 10, 2017
oil on canvas | 27 x 36 1/2 inches (68.6 x 92.7 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 3, 2017
oil on canvas | 50 1/8 x 32 1/4 inches (127.3 x 81.9 cm)

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handle with care – MoMA no. 9, 2017
oil on canvas | 23 3/4 x 36 3/8 inches (60.3 x 92.4 cm)

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