Dan Perjovschi - Temporary, Timely Art at MOMA

I happened upon a curious scene on the 2nd floor of New York's Museum of Modern Art yesterday. A worker on a crane was painting over a huge art installation that had been created directly on the wall. In the corner, a young man stood guard over a camera on a tripod, documenting the artwork's disappearance with time lapse photography. Curious, I approached and asked him whose art this was.

The mural was painted by Dan Perjovschi, an artist from Bucharest, Romania. Although this is his first American solo show, he is known the world over for his witty and incisive social and political images, which he creates in response to current events. Hence the fleeting nature of the art. When it ceases to be timely, it is gone.

I particularly loved these two images - one of a man peeking through the stripes of the American flag to see what is behind, and next to it a shadow casting a man (as opposed to a man casting a shadow). His work, at first glance, is simple and funny. On further observation, it is uniquely thought provoking.

There is a clip on YouTube of the artist describing his work on this piece. Click on the link below to see Perjovschi at work and hear him talk about creating this piece in front of an international audience in New York.

YouTube - Dan Perjovschi at MoMA