The Warhol cow & the dog

The gallery's
opinion

A NEW SERIES

“The Warhol cow & the dog” belongs to the series “Room portraits” of Damien Nicolas Roux. In this new series of drawings, the artist focuses on the duo between a work of art and an animal. He imagines with humour our pets in our interiors. What are they doing? What attracts their attention in these magnificent settings? And if in the mystery of their solitude, in the absence of their masters, they were interested in their most cherished objects? This is what DNR imagines by establishing a dialogue between the art object and the dogs, cats and other canaries… (*)

PORTRAITS OF INTERIORS

To stage the reproduced canvas, he is inspired by the work of decorators more or less known to the general public. His freedom as a facetious artist sometimes leads him to slip one of his own works into this ideal interior. Indeed, Damien Nicolas Roux is also a plastic artist and creates obelisks, pyramids, in cardboard and brass. They fit perfectly into the decor. The work is in the work, but the artist too, since he plays to hide his signature (DNR) in his drawing, do you see it?

In this new part of the series, the artist has chosen the transparency and softness of watercolor. A work with always surprising and successful techniques, which mixes references to painting, architecture and decorative arts.

WE LOVE TO KNOW MORE

It was in 1966 that the motif of this pink cow on a yellow background appeared in Andy Warhol‘s work. The cow’s head motif was reproduced in several versions. He presented it as an artistic installation at an exhibition of his work at the Leo Castelli gallery. In 1971, when he presented a retrospective of his work at the Whitney Museum, he used the same wallpaper as a background for his paintings. From then on, he would use it in different colours, with the same desire to control the environment in which he worked.

Damien Nicolas Roux has understood this, and appropriates this vision of art within art with “The Warhol cow & the dog”. This time the head is not multiplied, but huge and alone, and partially reflected in the mirror. It is no longer the painting that is on the motif, it is the motif, with its iconic status, that is in the painting… by DNR.

FOR THE LITTLE STORY

(*) Text by Manuel Crépon

What do your pets do when you are not at home? 

The front doors are locked. And they are locked inside. The flats are silent. Amongst the furniture, fabrics, fancy objects and – above all – the works of art, they are waiting for someone to return. Whether it’s a mistress, the young daughter of the family, a housekeeper, a dog-sitter or just a familiar person. All they are waiting for is to hear the key in the lock to break the silence.

During these hours, minutes, seconds, they get bored and try to fill the endless time, exploring in search of something to occupy their attention. The cat climbs where it has no right to do so, the dog wanders in search of a familiar comforting smell, the bird gets out of its poorly closed cage, the rabbit enjoys a bit of freedom… They will probably at some point pass by these works of art and stop. Who is this lady with the deformed face? What does this square of coloured dots mean? Who are those three guns pointing at? Who has lacerated this red canvas with his claws? Which child has drawn these disordered shapes?

They stare. They wonder. They probably sometimes admire. And they will forget and return to their place as soon as you return. Until the next time.

Photo credit : Damien Nicolas Roux and Galerie Maison Dauphine.