jake and dinos chapman: the sum of all evil

‘the sum of all evil’, 2013 by jake and dinos chapmanimage courtesy pinchukartcentreimage © sergey illin

jake and dinos chapman: chickenpinchukartcentre, ukraineon now through to the 21st april, 2013 

the pinchukartcentre in kiev presents the first solo exhibition of london-based artists jake and dinos chapman in ukraine titled ‘chicken’. showcasing their latest piece ‘the sum of all evil’, the duo speculate on central themes such as the holocaust, violence, and death through cutting subversive humour so characteristic of their work. the highly detailed, meticulously crafted miniature landscape is made up of four dioramas referencing significant historical events – including the discovery in babi yar (1941) – the ukrainian mass grave where the nazi occupier executed more than 30,000 jews in just two days. the work unabashedly fuses sensitive events with mass-branding and symbols of the global fast food chain, mcdonald’s. the mercenary giant –  which could be considered the mascot of commercialization – is interweaved into reincarnations of these sensitive events, amplifying the criticism of the underlying hypocrisy connected with an era of globalization. the artwork pulls into play a liberated hostility that provokes an uncomfortable  controversy surrounding moral taboos through the mechanics of raw, dry wit.

the work unabashedly fuses sensitive events with mass-branding and symbols of the global fast food chain, mcdonald’simage © sergey illin

the artwork pulls into play a liberated hostility that provokes an uncomfortable controversy surrounding moral taboos through the mechanics of raw, dry witimage © sergey illin

the meticulously crafted miniature landscape is made up of four dioramas referencing significant historical eventsimage © sergey illin

reincarnations of  sensitive historical events amplify the criticism of the underlying hypocrisy connected with an era of globalizationimage © sergey illin

image © sergey illin