I came across his work on Instagram and was immediately attracted to it. It was not until I decided to write this article did I find out the even more interesting story behind.
“The idea actually began as a joke between my wife (who loves to shop at thrift stores) and I, but it quickly evolved into an attempt to answer a question: Could I take a piece of unwanted art, and without changing its aesthetic, change its meaning by painting into it some bit of pop culture/nostalgia and make it desirable in the modern world?”
Dave Pollot had since 2012 been repurposing thrift art. He has worked with numerous brands including SONY and has made unwanted art wanted again. From his injection of Cap’n Crunch to Teletubbies, his paintings are more than just a fun reinterpretation of the existing work on canvas. He has established themes, such as popular food items, and used it to represent mental and material distractions in our present world.
What made me delve into his art is how harmonious they look. I did not realize they were created on top of existing work at all. Though there is an ‘oomph’ moment when I see the contemporary element, I never thought the painting looked better without it. The new composition he has created is unexpected yet peaceful, and the new narrative he has thus introduced can talk to both the audience and the history behind. I think his ability to transform a piece of unknown artwork into something else without destroying it in any way is very special. It makes any work become versatile and withhold the power to withstand the change of time. He has shown how art indeed, can be “retrofitted to reflect a more culturally relevant set of ideas.”
Photo credit: https://www.davepollot.com/
