Is one of the reasons why we as a society are so fascinated by violence that it’s essentially absurd? This 3D experimentation by self-taught creator Esteban Diacono couldn’t help but make me ponder this. His ‘body’ of work, a collection of morphing and swirling feet, hands and human forms combines the grotesque with a darkly silly sense of humor. And like with this piece, I as a viewer can’t help but be entranced by his parade of beautifully bizarre brainchildren. We witness a life-like human bust, sculpted to rubbery perfection. Donning a peculiar hairnet, the man’s unsuspecting gaze is cast towards us as we see a disembodied fist flying towards his inviting cheek. There’s something almost cartoonesque about the impending punch, a reminder of a collective childhood filled with ‘acme’ sponsored mayhem. When the inevitable blow connects, we’re immediately confronted with the figure’s elastic unreality. No blood or bruise is left as the almost gelatinous skin bounces and twirls, dancing before our eyes.
Estaban’s design brilliantly blurs the line between realism and fantasy and as the loop resets over and over, its violent details become even more intriguing. There are always times in our life that we find ourselves hit in the face, unsuspecting, by the grim reality of our existence. And while there’s tragedy in that, it’s fraternal twin comedy is never far behind. This piece, by an artists who prefers not to be labeled as one, opens itself up to many interpretations. As mentioned before, one can also see a statement on our macabre fascination with aggression and pain. Violence is part of our daily life, whether we choose to ignore or embrace it and there’s something inherently silly in that human addiction. As blow after blow hits this imagined man, I could not look away. Can you?
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