neü folk is pleased to announce ...Best Day Ever (Goofy Goober)

A solo exhibition by Donald Fodness will open at Neu Folk gallery, room 220 in the Evan’s School at 1115 Acoma St Denver, CO 80204, with a public reception on June 22, 2024, from 6-9. Titled “...Best Day Ever (Goofy Goober)”, it will feature an installation that includes one of Fodness’ “Dysfunctional Multitools”, these installations have their roots in furniture and other utilitarian objects but have been pushed to the point of absurdity in a way that is meant to question the role art plays in our lives.

This work in the series features a “safe” that contains guns, drugs and money but is so flashy, flimsy and full of holes that nothing is actually safe.This installation merges narrative, American history, art historical quotation, appropriation and authorship, and popular culture including bumper stickers, cartoons, heavy metal music, and retail display.

On a personal level, the work refers to Fodness’ role in the process of making mannequins, and the value of family heirlooms or legacy.

This work directly quotes Emanuel Leutze's painting “George Washington Crossing the Delaware” but replaces the first president of the United States with SpongeBob Squarepants, the quintessential man-boy, and pokes at our culture’s obsession with youth, or rather the aversion to maturity, aging gracefully, and the wisdom gained from our elders.

In this case, as with most of Fodness’ installations, the artist raises formal On a personal level, the work refers to Fodness’ role in the process of making mannequins, and the value of family heirlooms or legacy.

In addition to the installation, the show includes various drawings on found material such as magazines or record albums which highlight the complex cocktail of the artist’s psychic cosmos.