Joshua Maupin: "Century of Self"

Subversive, Surreal, and Starkly Familiar

Century of Self (24" x 36") is the latest satirical masterpiece from fine artist Joshua Maupin, whose cartoon-naïve brand of visual commentary provides a unique voice in the contemporary art scene. Lighthearted, and disconcerting at the same time, this piece illustrates Maupin's real strengths in de-familiarizing and re-framing the everyday into twisted, pop surrealist narrative.

A Contrasted Stance in Style and Commentary

Maupin's works edge through the borders of pop surrealism, lowbrow, and outsider art without fully adhering to any one definition. Using the visual language of mid-century American cartooning, Century of Self depicts a rabbit-like character in a distasteful and compromised situation: contorted within a toilet bowl, grasping for a denominator chain beneath the glare of a stark fixture overhead.

The absurdity of this character's setting is communicated through thick-lined outlines, exaggerated characteristics, and a high-intensity palette; all familiar but at the very least evoking nostalgia. But underlying those signature tropes, the work generates psychological tension. What begins as playful, fast becomes unsettling while engaged by the viewer, allowing for deeper contemplation surrounding issues of collective identity, media over-saturation, and the absurdity of life today.

A Collector-Conscious Edition

- Size: 24 x 36 inches

There’s no questioning the impactful presence of a gallery-standard format. 24 x 36 inches allows for considerable wall dominance while being versatile in options for display.

- Edition Size: 50 numbered prints

50 prints due to finality, numbered because we don’t all have room for large editions on our wall, as well as a certificate of authenticity - Because we appreciate and respect collectors - we offer 50 limited prints. Once sold, each piece will still be available in public and private collections, and even institutions, with a finite obvious value, and one less piece of history.

This edition form offers an exhibition understanding of scale, presentation, and limit. It represents a preservable option for collection acquisition and serious collectors, public and private collections, and is suitable for gallery programs.

So - Why does this work hold its own? What makes it resonate?

Maupin rips the uncanny from the ordinary we call contemporary, and then interrogates our experience of something culturally representative. This work is a very clear iteration of re-contextualizing a seemingly iconic character relaxed in troublingly befuddled everyday domestic scenery, provoking the viewer to reset a somewhat familiar psycho analytic space that unfortunately evokes questions of media imagery, identity, and finally, a bolt of the past that disappears like a tropic rain.

'Century of Self' is critique, and object or artifact. A cultural mirror that exhibits, contorts, reflects and ultimately prods. It is neither simply illustrative nor purely philosophical - to the point of inviting repeated, or layered readings.

A Defining Voice in Modern Pop Satire

Joshua Maupin is steadily growing a collection of irreverent, insightful, and arresting works. With Century of Self, Maupin positions himself as a contemporary artist balancing the tension between commentary and chaos, humor and critique. For collectors and curators looking for works that are equal parts visual and intellectual, this limited edition print is an imperative work.