Jeff Sonhouse
Poached
About the Artwork
This 8 color screenprint by Jeff Sonhouse is comprised of a beautiful variety of surface textures and color. The red background is almost suede-like in nature, especially when juxtaposed with the flatness of the face. The bowtie appears velvety, and the floating eye-shaped marks possess a sheen similar to freshly used graphite. This attention to detail and care for the formal qualities of art-making are quintessential to Sonhouse’s practice.
Curatorial Opinion
In Poached by Jeff Sonhouse, the artist has outfitted the central subject with ample symbolic adornments. First, there is the motorcycle jacket; a symbol of rebellion and cool. Next up is the bow tie, contradicting somewhat the informality of the jacket. Sonhouse’s signature Harlequin pattern fills in for skin, adding a geometric exactitude to the subject’s face. A blue translucent shape juts out from his brow, not unlike a visor. The features of his face are hybridized; shotgun and face, two barrels standing in for nostrils. Then, most curiously, two Bird in Space sculptures, created by artist Constantin Brancusi in the 1920s, protrude from the figure’s face like strangely positioned horns. Sonhouse’s work is rich with symbolism and history, if you take a closer look.
About the Process
Haystack works with both traditional printmakers and digital printers to ensure each artist’s print reflects the most important aspects of their studio practice. Poached was printed in collaboration with the artist and Lower East Side Printshop. Each print was created by silkscreen printing (also known as serigraphy). This method requires stenciling techniques wherein ink is pressed onto paper through deliberately exposed areas of a mesh screen one color at a time.
