For Martin Roth, born in Austria but now living in New York, the tools of his trade are synonymous with the conceptual thinking behind his work. Rather than making use of traditional artistic tools such as paint and the paintbrush to comment on rampant consumerism in America, Roth's works are created with what he describes as 'a more contemporary and relevant tool - the price gun'. In his series of 'Poster Remixes' icons of American popular culture are covered in price tags, their celebrated bodies and faces overwhelmed by tags normally found on supermarket produce and luxury goods. Roth transforms the cult of the personality - in some ways the life blood of the culture he has chosen to live in - into the cult of price tag.
Using the same tools, Roth has also created a series of landscapes which from a distance resemble the paintings of the Pointillists such as Seurat and Signac or blurry CCTV footage. But as one zooms in on the pictures, it becomes apparent that these aerial views have been made using only a price gun and price tags. Those parts of the landscape that are deemed to be of most value, to have most currency - literally -, have the greatest density of price tags. As Roth says, 'As in life, as in real estate - the higher ground has a greater value than the lowlands.'
Roth will be showing his latest variation on this theme - vinyl baby dolls covered in price tags - at HIART Gallery in New York in March 2007. To find out more about Martin Roth and to see his work registered on Your Gallery click here.
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