Kanye West unveils wax sculpture installation at Blum & Poe
On August 27 and 28, 2016, Kanye West showcased a striking installation at the Blum & Poe gallery in Los Angeles, featuring 13 nude wax figures of celebrities all laid out on one bed. This piece was inspired by Vincent Desiderio's painting Sleep and echoed themes from West's music video Famous, which premiered in June 2016 and depicted nude figures of stars like Rihanna, Donald Trump, and Kim Kardashian. Kim Kardashian kicked off the event, while West joined in via iPad to share insights about his work. Timothy Blum, West's gallerist, commented that this piece could be highly regarded if it were created by a well-known artist. West has previously collaborated with notable figures in contemporary art, like Vanessa Beecroft and Steve McQueen.
Key facts
- Kanye West presented 13 wax sculptures of nude celebrities at Blum & Poe on August 27-28, 2016.
- The installation was inspired by Vincent Desiderio's painting Sleep and West's music video Famous.
- Figures depicted include Rihanna, Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, George W. Bush, Anna Wintour, Amber Rose, and Kim Kardashian.
- Kim Kardashian inaugurated the event; West appeared via iPad.
- Gallerist Timothy Blum called the work a 'very serious work of art.'
- In 2015, Jeff Koons was called 'the Kanye West of contemporary art' by Amelia Abraham in Vice.
- West has collaborated with Vanessa Beecroft, Jürgen Teller, and Steve McQueen.
- West has compared Matthew Barney to Jesus.
Entities
Artists
- Kanye West
- Vincent Desiderio
- Jeff Koons
- Vanessa Beecroft
- Jürgen Teller
- Steve McQueen
- Matthew Barney
- Marc Quinn
- Ron Mueck
Institutions
- Blum & Poe
- Vice
- Artnet
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States