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Josephine Meckseper

State of the Union Address to Senate and Nation

2004

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Josephine Meckseper

State of the Union Address to Senate and Nation

2004

Physical Qualities Mixed media, 42 x 18 x 12 in. (107 x 46 x 31 cm.)
Credit Line Gift of a MAD Gathering in Honor of Constance R. Caplan
Object Number 2017.318
Born in Germany to a family of artists and activists, Josephine Meckseper has described her work as “a garbage can for the history of the present.” Meckseper believes that the fashion industry and mass media frequently turn political commentary and activism into temporary trends and shallow entertainment. She responds by building a social critique out of merchandise. In this sculpture, which echoes the forms of store displays, a piece of cheap, shiny fabric holds a seductive but superficial appeal, while a precarious stack of glasses and mirrors suggests the fragility of our political and economic system.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2017; Monroe Denton, Brooklyn, NY
Contemporary Wing Reinstallation

Artist

Josephine Meckseper

1963–2000

born Lilienthal, Germany 1964
Meet Josephine →

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