Michael DeForge's 'Brat' Satirizes Youth Culture and Media Fame
Michael DeForge's graphic novel 'Brat', published by Eris Edizioni in Turin in 2019, follows Miss D, a 33-year-old delinquent icon grappling with her fading relevance. Once celebrated for her politically motivated provocations, she now feels her actions have become meaningless, driven by nostalgia and media mockery. The narrative alternates between her private despair and public antics—urinating on a stool, defecating on a floor, setting fire to a police car (which an officer admires as an 'installation'), and drunkenly ranting during a Vanity Fair interview. A young unpaid intern confronts her, citing Miss D's past stunts like leaking the president's children's phone numbers on Saturday Night Live and poisoning New York dogs with Living Funk. DeForge's visual style employs flat, contrasting colors and distorted perspectives, blending apparent simplicity with sophisticated design. The book critiques society's blind worship of youth, social media tyranny, and the trivialization of provocation. Ferruccio Giromini reviews the work in Artribune, noting its originality and challenging readability. Brat spans 168 pages, priced at €19, ISBN 978898644841.
Key facts
- Michael DeForge is a Canadian artist from Toronto.
- 'Brat' was published in 2019 by Eris Edizioni in Turin.
- The protagonist Miss D is 33 years old and a public delinquent icon.
- Miss D's original actions were politically motivated but became purposeless.
- She sets fire to a police car; the officer calls it an 'installation'.
- She gives a drunken interview to Vanity Fair.
- A young intern recalls Miss D's past stunts, including leaking phone numbers on Saturday Night Live and poisoning dogs with Living Funk.
- The book has 168 pages and costs €19.
Entities
Artists
- Michael DeForge
- Ferruccio Giromini
Institutions
- Eris Edizioni
- Artribune
- Vanity Fair
- Saturday Night Live
Locations
- Toronto
- Canada
- Turin
- Italy
- New York