Artist Daniel Edwards has done it again by immortalizing Oprah and her beloved, deceased canines. Check out the article below which was published in the New York Daily News. Also make sure you stop by Leo Kasting's Gallery, located in New York's famed West Village, and see the artwork up close and personal.
Oprah Winfrey is the subject of a new statue by controversial artist Daniel Edwards.
Oprah Winfrey is now immortalized with dogs on her gold-painted head, thanks to the latest creation by controversial pop culture artist, Daniel Edwards.
"Memories of Sophie and Gracie: A Puppies' Memorial" is inspired by the passing of the talk show host's beloved Cocker Spaniel, Sophie, who died after choking on a ball last year, and her Golden Retriever, Gracie, who recently died from kidney failure.
"If those were two children that died under those causes, I think the world would freak out," said Edwards, adding that he made the piece to point out there are precautionary measures pet owners can do to keep their pets safe. "I think having two pets die within a year means its time to re-evaluate your home. ... Oprah just went through this. I think most people would be devastated if it happened to them."
Gallery co-director John Lee said the dogs were placed on Oprah's mane to suggest the loss might be weighing heavily on the daytime TV icon's mind. Winfrey recently dedicated a show investigating abuses at puppy mills to Sophie, whom she said "gave me 13 years of unconditional love."
This isn't the first pro-animal statue for Edwards. He made a pro-horse monument dedicated to Kentucky Derby-winning racehorse Barbaro this winter to correspond with the proposal of "Barbaros's Law," urging the mandatory disclosure of race-related horse injuries. He's also done other pieces in Oprah's likeness - a one a half-scale model depicting Oprah's Sarcophagus at Gardenfresh Gallery in Chicago last month and a life-sized Oprah burial mask.
Edwards said he uses Winfrey as a recurring motif because she's a mega-celebrity. "She's beyond celebrity," he said. "She's a lifestyle for many people."
Some of his past works include a sculpture entitled "Suri's Bronzed Baby Poop," which some believe to actually contain excrement from Suri Cruise. Other works include a sculpture of Fidel Castro and a life-size naked likeness of a dead Paris Hilton, aimed at helping to prevent women from drinking and driving. Hilton was convicted of DUI in 2006. Perhaps the most press Edwards received was for his statue of Britney Spears giving birth on a bear skin rug.
Gallery director David Kesting said Winfrey didn't know about the newest installment in the series, and the gallery has never heard directly from her camp. According to Kesting, there is speculation she had something to do with halting promotional materials and a story from being printed in local Chicago newspapers covering the previous two pieces that were held on display a few blocks from her Harpo studios.
The resin cast statue will be on display at the West Village's Leo Kesting Gallery on May 22.
All text and imagery courtesy of the NY Daily News.
1 comment:
WOW!!
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