Product Description

A unique work created for the sale which is the personification of the neo-naturalist mythology the artists have been developing over the past few years called OCEAN. This new mythology is a cultural engineering tool and artwork with the goal and purpose to unify the world under an ecology of respect and synergetic love for everything that is living and beyond. This new sculptural painting entitled “The Illumination” depicts a very important moment in the beginning of “The Great IP Wars”, a chapter in the book of OCEAN, that explores a dark time in the mythology. The work features Golden Eyes bear, the central figure in the composition, having a vision. Golden Eyes has a psychic revelation of his fate that he must kill Mickey. Depicted in the painting as a sword piercing the Mickey-shaped flames. Mickey has been growing into a cancerous AI algorithm that has consumed billions of users worldwide through the manipulation of popular culture. Golden Eyes is faced with fulfilling his destiny, knowing that it will cost him everything.

Product Year

2023

Product Materials

Urethane foam with polyprime & acrylic paint

Product Dimensions

62 3/4 x 6 x 72 3/8 in. (159.4 cm x 15.3 cm x 183.9 cm.)

Product Note

FriendsWithYou is the nom de peindre of Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III. For over 20 years, the Miami-bred collaborators have been creating whimsical cloudscapes, characters, and intricately surreal worlds inhabited by equally surreal occupants. This piece – entitled The Illumination – is a window into a mythical world created by FriendsWithYou that explores pop culture, capitalism, and the looming algorithm-ification of consumerism. It is equal parts optimistic and foretelling. FriendsWithYou share creative commonality with Pharrell, having collaborated on numerous projects. They consider him a “big bro” homey and credit him for helping them secure their first studio in Miami, back in 2008. Omitting them from this auction would be like throwing a party with no Phriends.