David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen Acquired from the above by the present owner
Catalogue Essay
Celebrated for his enrapturing site-specific installations, Alex da Corte has gained notoriety for his acclaimed solo exhibitions held at major institutions this year, namely Free Roses at MASS MoCA and Slow Graffiti at the Secession in Vienna. The present work, The Money Pit, assumes da Corte’s signature use of colour, form and cultural referencing to convey his individual artistic enquiry on a two-dimensional plane. The title of the present work echoes that of the 1986 Richard Benjamin film The Money Pit, featuring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, whereby a successful couple buy a lavish house for a cut price. Manipulating the aesthetic of the Nike brand and drawing visual reference to The Simpsons, a dollar bill and a floppy disk, da Corte's work channels the essence of consumer culture, technology and Pop. Appearing polished and highly aesthetic, glitter spills across the picture plane, while a succulent combination of orange and blue illuminates the backdrop for the meticulously placed objects. Prompting the viewer to examine our individual relationship to objects, da Corte taps into deeply personal, nostalgic narratives and familial memories, offering a psychological reading of his enigmatic work.