The Thousands

Two things taught me that life is unfair: 1. Mario Kart, & 2. The fact that – no matter how hard I try – there will always be people naturally better than me at everything. I often get this involuntary spasm of unfairness while looking at art, and I got a rather severe case just now perusing the two Jakes’ work. (The two Jakes are Jake Bresanello and Jake Holmes, and in the interest of not greasing up my J A K & E keys by typing ‘Jake’ ten thousand times they shall henceforward be known as “JB” and “JH”.)

To split the fellows up into how they make me feel inferior: JB’s work has long reminded me of that rat-thing-in-the-speeding-car-with-the-eye-skin flapping-backwards that Google Images just told me is called ‘the Rat Fink’. JB’s art also reminds me of where I’ve seen it most often attached: God God Dammit Dammit flyers – and just like their music, it’s chaotic and ramshackle, but somehow manages to transcend the whole mess and come out seeming simple and balanced. It’s utterly effortless looking, and best of all incredibly fun stuff.

JH’s art is a natural complement, and spans across installation and more conceptual form as well as designery print making and cartoony toony toons. His recent work as part of Print Cult and You Are Beautiful showed both sides of this spectrum, and the 4-layer CMYK prints he’s been producing lately combine this eclecticism sublimely. The show, at sausage dog infested Magazine Gallery, has a whole bunch of the above things from JB + JH in the same room for your ocular convenience. It will also have one jealous me standing in the corner, stewing quietly in my own juices.