Artwork up close: Robert Mars’ ‘How To Light Fires Jackie O’
Another in an occasional look at artworks on display around Laguna Beach.
It just so happens that Robert Mars has the last name he does, but it provided one more pop-culture reference for his gallery show in Laguna Beach.
“Mars Attacks,” which runs through Oct. 31, shares the name of a 1960s sci-fi trading-card series — and the Tim Burton movie that they later inspired. The show at the JoAnne Artman Gallery features 11 pieces that riff on popular icons: Audrey Hepburn, Coca-Cola, Chanel No. 5 and Old Glory itself.
“How To Light Fires Jackie O” measures 48-by-68 inches and combines the American flag with one of the last half-century’s most famous American women — plus a few stylistic twists. Here are a few key points about the mixed-media and resin image:
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1. Who’s that lady?
Few gallery visitors over 30 will probably fail to recognize Jacqueline Kennedym Onassis as the piece’s main subject. Just as Andy Warhol built famous works around Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, Mars sought an icon of recent history to stand before his alternative flag. “Jackie O has always fascinated me with her timeless beauty, fashion sense and grace,” he wrote in an email. “I feel that she exemplifies an important moment in American history that we tend to reflect back upon fondly as a simpler time.”
2. Art and commerce
Despite the stars-and-stripes backdrop, nothing competes with Kennedy’s face for the viewer’s attention more than the large “Givenchy” label at the bottom. The luxury French clothing and accessory brand was a favorite of the first lady’s, and Mars included it as a commentary on how celebrities’ faces and corporate logos become “brands” in their own right.
3. Shades of ‘Mad Men’
An era can often be understood by its advertising, and Mars delved into his collection of early-1960s clippings to add perspective to his piece. The artist chose the tiny color snapshot of a man and woman to symbolize the time’s innocent romance, while the words “How to light fires” are a nod to Kennedy’s status as a sex symbol as well as a Washington figure.
4. Pink for feminine
Why a pink background for the stars instead of the traditional dark blue? “One of the ways that pop artists of the past would decontextualize icons was through changing color,” Mars said. “The flag with its primary color palette does not suit Jackie O and her fashionable style, so I chose to skew the colors to make more sense for her.” Meanwhile, the scrapbook approach with the stripes shows up inside the stars as well.
5. Stripes forever blue
As with the star panel, Mars toyed with the color scheme on the stripes. Soft blue replaces bright red to reflect Kennedy’s subtle fashion sensibility, while the familiar design of the flag reinforces the notion of viewing a cultural staple through a new filter.
‘How to Light Fires Jackie O’
Location: JoAnne Artman Gallery, 326 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday or by appointment
Price: $16,000
Information: (949) 510-5481 by https://www.joanneartmangallery.com