Goaltending (skull dunk)
Featured In Metaglyphs

Goaltending (skull dunk)

One of a series of “dunk” renders, transforming the format of collectable NBA superstar posters into a dreamlike, futuristic vision of a dystopian dunk contest. In a sort of Texas-Chainsaw-Dunk-Massacre vignette, various dismembered limbs compete for dominance at the rim. One wields an athletic-looking skull, with headband and basketball eye, while another blocks the net with a clean, industrial-design chainsaw. An amazing new NIKE shoe (never before seen) propels a leg upwards with help from a stepladder and a magical feat of Gatorade cup-balancing can also be seen. The collector of this NFT will be directed to an online poster-printing supplier and allowed to order a poster print for their own personal viewing, using the high-res digital file (12000 x 6732 px). This format mimics the inspiration for the series - cheaply produced, commercial collectibles which nonetheless inspired transcendent aesthetic experiences for the artist.
Token
1stDibs.1
Token ID
84
Token Standard
ERC-721
Edition
1/1
Medium
JPEG Digital Image
Dimensions
1149 x 2048
Artwork CID: Qmb5jWJXwzkbkL7Gg7p5m68F2NLfrJQfzaJ4GdVamBV1YC
Token Metadata CID: QmaS6QH61yxFkTJU8fou6JknpmYW2LKn8GA73RLUyBaw9u
FakeShamus (Shamus Clisset) rides the multidimensional aether with his 1-million polygon sidekicks, carrying 7 million reasons to hate his life (but he stays positive (mentally, not for covid, *cough-cough*)). The energy he consumes could power the 50 least-populous states for a year and he radiates his heat like a Noctua set up. He’s got 15-20 years in the game of trying to out-do all the minimalists, cubists, and MFA grads via 3D rendering, animations, and physics simulations, all baked out in slam-dunk glory and glistening silver countach. His favorite color is Void and his favorite ice cream is melted. Shamus's work is an obsessive exploration of the trappings and failings of contemporary technology and uncertain identity. Humorously deconstructing iconic pop-cultural landmarks and historical demons is his approach to this critique, while also embodying many of the absurdities he aims to lay bare. FakeShamus is simultaneously the creator and destroyer of his own world, an embodiment of our modern techno-dystopia, and a violent explorer of all potential futures.

Exhibition Notes

Metaglyph roughly translates to “beyond symbol” — an artwork representing the interconnected relationship between object materiality and digital existence. For as long as humans have told stories, we’ve been interested in objects that exist at the border between worlds. From ancient mythology to modern science fiction, our archetypal stories are filled with magical objects that serve as keys, black mirrors of culture and false identity, secret weapons with hidden powers. These NFT tokenized artworks use multiple techniques — ranging from digital simulation technology to 3D modeling to glitch — to probe the boundaries and consequences of our digital and analog desires.

The goal is not to replace reality, but to return to and enrich it. When we step through the looking glass — when we board the vessel — what will we see?

“These artworks are vessels that serve as a link between the familiar and the unknown. It’s the butterfly pinned to the board, and the butterfly rising above it. Not just the shark’s tooth, but its bite.”

–– Katie Peyton Hofstadter

History

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