Cabinet of Horrors @ Gallery: Track 16
You may have seen grotesque caricatures of Trump wheat pasted on utility boxes across LA – you have Robbie Conal to thank for that. Robbie Conal brings this piece of iconic LA street art to a larger, more refined exhibition at Track 16. Cabinet of Horrors is an exhibition full of satirical portraits of President Trump and his closest aides, advisors, and Cabinet Members. Cabinet of Horrors is a combination of traditional portraiture and political cartoon. Conal’s Cabinet of Horrors features a zombie cast of Kellyanne Conway with a header of “Knows Job” and Mike Pence as “Stillborn Again” among others. Robbie Conal’s Cabinet of Horrors exhibits at Track 16 from October 13th, 2018 – December 8, 2018.
Robbie Conal is hailed by Shepard Fairey as a power political commentator unafraid of public space. From the Iran-Contra Affair to the contemporary political climate, Conal has produced political artworks and infused them with humor.
Conal is clearly a talented artist, as well as deeply mindful of current events and leadership. Conal minimizes the chronic confusion and conflict our country experiences by reducing our Head of State to a caricature. An equal opportunist, Conal lambasts President Trump’s closest advisors and cabinet members. Conal reminds us that, although in a unique and scary form, our current political leadership will pass.
When President Trump was elected, my father reminded me that he wanted to leave the country when President Reagan was elected. My dad’s point was – you think the world is over, you think the rapture has come, but life goes on. History repeats itself, and at the end of the day we need to do what we can to make the world a better place, and trust that we’ll come out of this alright. This all sounds like my family is full of drama and theatrics, but the past couple of years has amplified and extended this sentiment across other like-minded families.
If we look into history, we can find two threads that objectively bind the human spirit together: perseverance and art. Robbie Conal’s artwork reminds us that while the world is dramatic right now, we have endured the same in the past. Our political headlines and art exhibitions will become pages in the yearbook of history, and do little more than show how tense a timeframe was. So to Robbie’s point – why not fine the humor in the drama?
Gallery:
Track 16
Location:
1206 Maple Ave. #1005
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Hours:
Weds Sat
12pm – 6pm
*or by appointment
Exhibition Dates:
October 13, 2018 – December 8, 2018
Website:
https://www.track16.com/2018/robbie-conal