Mika Lauren Revell
POWER PLAY
Revell's latest series of artwork delves into the intriguing relationship between symbols of power and commodified objects of desire, exploring the tensions that arise between them. Revell's artwork deftly contrasts the ominous and the alluring, weaponizing pink polished chrome, acrylic finger nails, and latex finishes to create a surreal and dark hyperreality.
Works in this series included a guerilla poster campaign during the 2022 Venice Bienalle, featuring bright, metallic, sea mines, cresting above the water line of the Grand Canal. These advertisements were plastered over existing marketing in and around the city during the exhibition. These bombs were later realized and fabricated during Revell's residence at Jax District, Diriyah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023.
At the heart of her artwork is the exploration of how power and commodification shape our desires and how these forbidden fascinations are often blurred. Her artistry fuses seemingly oppositional concepts, creating fetishized objects such as handbags, and sex toys, with a hint of post-feminist, military-industrial satire.
Revell plays with the complexities of power and control, examining how they can be created, sold, kept, and destroyed. Her art probes the transformations and transfers of power, transcending mere physicality and possession, questioning who possesses control and holds influence.
Drawing from historical references such as medieval armor and weaponry, Revell explores how these structures have evolved. Once a means of protection, the cellular structures of snakes, fish, and animals, are now a symbol of future warfare. Her artwork examines how these repetitive shapes and structures can function democratically, forming a single barrier, yet taking on a sinister role in the future of tech and defense.
At the intersection of beautiful objects, fetishized brands, commodities, and wealth, Revell probes our fascination with power, war, and weapons. Her art explores the futility of life, shame, fear, and the role of art in disarming man. The artist's exploration of subverting images of weapons and war in her unnatural disaster series highlights the intersection of ideas and the potency of her artistic expression.