Art | KATSU’s Ceramic Drones Imagine a Strange Future of Elderly Millennials

Controversial street artist KATSU’s spring show at The Hole in New York City placed drones in art. In the exhibition titled KATSU: Remembering the Future (January 8 – February 22, 2015) the artist juxtaposed the strange flying phenomena with art history and the kitsch figurine to stir conversations about what the future might hold for the much-anticipated drone takeover.

Above Image: KATSU, Ceramic drone swarm (detail) 2014-2015, with Vape sculpture, 2015

In a series of paintings, KATSU used a remote control drone to spray paint onto the canvases. The result is a sort-of 21st century Jackson Pollock, but more of a one-liner than revolutionary art. The video of the process is very cool and the resulting series of paintings are an interesting result of the experiment. A series of nine paintings titled Marilyn is a reference to Andy Warhol’s work of the same name, embracing the imperfections of the art making process.

In the back of the gallery is a grouping of small ceramic drones that are suspended from the ceiling. All the drones are level, not tilted, suggesting they are silently hovering in place. A mysterious burst of fog falls over the swarm every few minutes, allowing them to linger in a cloud before it disperses throughout the gallery. The installation is like a kitsch store display turning the modern devices into collectables, something idyllic, desired, and collected by your grandmother. It’s KATSU’s subtle way of peeking into a strange future of elderly millennials.

Justin Crowe is a Writer and Director of Operations at CFile.

Any thoughts about KATSU’s ceramic art drone sculpture? Tell us what you think in the comment box below!