MERZ2

Collage on panel with encaustic medium
6x6 inches ea.
Source material: Artforum advertisement reproductions, 2023 - present

STATEMENT

In 1919, the closure of the first World War not only signified the end of a global conflict but also heralded a fresh era for artistic expression. For many artists, the war's devastation served as a pivotal moment, igniting a desire for change. They envisioned a future characterized by experimentation, audacity, and a break from tradition. It was during this transformative period that German artist Kurt Schwitters embarked on a journey to embrace a new form of art, one that symbolized his pursuit of "freedom from all constraints," whether cultural, political, or social. Welcoming the newfound liberty to defy convention, Schwitters scavenged everyday objects such as newspaper clippings, product labels, and various ephemera from the realm of commercial culture. By relying solely on the aesthetic qualities of these found materials, he fashioned them into abstract compositions he named Merz pictures. The term "Merz," a nonsensical creation, stemmed from the German word "Kommerz" (commerce), encapsulating Schwitters' rebellion against established norms.

Similarly, contemporary artist Javier Chavira appropriates images from the world of art commerce, particularly from the influential periodical and self-proclaimed tastemaker, Artforum. Armed with a stack of these glossy magazines, Chavira gains access to a rich palette of colors and imagery, which serve as the foundation for his creative endeavors. Employing his improvisational skills, he meticulously selects and manipulates elements from advertisement reproductions, fashioning them into novel, non-objective compositions devoid of hierarchical structure. Additionally, and to finalize his works, Chavira applies a thin and delicate layer of molten encaustic wax medium, which, as it cools, visually softens the cut marks of his collage, harmonizing the overall composition. This final touch not only unifies the disparate elements but also imparts a captivating sheen, enhancing the enigmatic allure of the underlying colors and forms.

MERZ2, Chavira’s evolving assemblage of pictorial compositions, is a record of immediate expression, from intuition to visual manifestation. It too is free from all constraints, adhering only to the timeless, universal principles that transcend time, space, and language, as perceived by the artist.