This feverish collage by Tony Oursler contains bizarre human facial parts pasted atop a swampy, nebulous splotch. On its semblance of a face, one bloodshot, staring eye, a subtle outline of a nose, and a tiny, crooked mouth melt down its thick, slick surface. Set against a simple, white background, the murky green and brown blob makes up the center of the composition, creating a stark contrast that enhances the fantastical nature of the figure. A phantasmagoria of extraterrestrial color and shape, plus the enigmatic reduction of human form evokes his haunting video sculptures.

Tony Oursler (American, 1957) is a Contemporary, multimedia and installation artist who lives and works in New York City. Known for imaginatively merging video, sculpture, collage, performance, installation, light, sound and painting, he creates ironic, enigmatic, and innovative works. In works, such as The Influence Machine, an installation at the Tate Modern’s riverfront in London, embracing technological materials, he uses projections onto trees and smoke to examine the history of media. Outrageous, ethereal, and uncanny displays often result from his multimedia projects, which tend to take on lives of their own. He is also known for the project, entitled, Ooze, in which large wall panels featuring steel-cut aluminum, video, painting, and performance express his interest in depicting poignant, otherworldly forms. He graduated with a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts and is represented by the Lehmann Maupin Gallery, the Lisson Gallery, and Metro Pictures Gallery.

Selected Public Collections:
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago
Tate Gallery, London
Saatchi Gallery, London
Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris