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American street artist Mark Jenkins is the name behind the faceless figures popping up in cities around the world. Staged in provocative poses, his startlingly lifelike mannequin art installations are often social critiques meant to challenge the viewer to question their reality and raise social awareness. In what he dubs urban theater, these realistic sculptures provoke an array of reactions that transform his installations into multi-layered performance art.
The Urban Theater is Jenkins’s first monograph. The book "documents a broad spectrum of his compelling, often disturbing street installation art," as well as viewers' spontaneous responses and interactions with his interventions.
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Jenkins began his street art career in 2003 by placing a figure in a refuse dump in Rio de Janeiro to draw attention to the plight of homeless children in the streets. Since then the innovative artist has had his work exhibited in renowned venues such as Lazarides Galleries and the Kunsthalle Wien and publicly funded in cities worldwide. His unique art is made for the street, but Jenkins has also worked with the same themes in nature and indoors.
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The ongoing theme of the artist's work tends to veer towards dark subjects.“They often tend to be marginalized individuals, sometimes in lonely states, so it’s poetic but also dark. For example, the guy in the river is holding a bunch of colored balloons that are almost trying to magically lift him out. There’s always an undercurrent of hope," he explained in an interview.
“I like getting people to question their surroundings, what is real and what isn’t. These days, people are so buried in their mobile phones and I just wanted to get them to look up," he said about his cool art, "So at the beginning, I was collecting social data about people’s reactions. But six years later, these images are more about poetry, of capturing a magical moment.”
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Natasha Forchione 5 years ago
awww...she thinks its street art. I wonder how much money it collected!
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What do you think ?
Joe Blowe 5 years ago
Some of the ones placed like they were in trouble, for example, the ones that look like people about to commit suicide and or "floating" on the water may be illegal. Imagine if you are driving along and you see a person (mannequin in this case) about to jump. You would be more at risk of getting in a car accident.
Keessie 5 years ago
Children could actually have a traumatic experience. Especially if it's not possible to verify nothing was wrong because you're driving by in a car or not notice it as an adult. Nope, this is one big fail.
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Priscila Pedrosa 5 years ago
Don't like this kinda of art. Some of it can bring serious consequences to sensitive people, like ederly or postraumatic experience. Once it is placed in public spaces more careful consideration should be done
Joe Blowe 5 years ago
Some of the ones placed like they were in trouble, for example, the ones that look like people about to commit suicide and or "floating" on the water may be illegal. Imagine if you are driving along and you see a person (mannequin in this case) about to jump. You would be more at risk of getting in a car accident.
Keessie 5 years ago
Children could actually have a traumatic experience. Especially if it's not possible to verify nothing was wrong because you're driving by in a car or not notice it as an adult. Nope, this is one big fail.
Load More Replies... Priscila Pedrosa 5 years ago
Don't like this kinda of art. Some of it can bring serious consequences to sensitive people, like ederly or postraumatic experience. Once it is placed in public spaces more careful consideration should be done
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