Modern Monarchy
Modern Monarchy
Signed Print
Conor Harrington
94 x 117cm, Edition of 125, Giclée print, 2012
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Meaning & Analysis
Modern Monarchy (2012) is a signed giclée print by Conor Harrington representing his long-standing interest in the themes of power and violence as well as the influence of the past on present events. After the initial printing process, Harrington added silkscreen gloss and 22-carat gold leaf to give the work a more animated appeal. Created in a similar style to Samson’s Nostalgia Trap (2014), Tardis of Delight (2012), and The Unveiling (2014), the print blends the elements of tradition with a contemporary twist introduced through the elements of freehand spray painting and multiple layers of bold colours in the background.
In this print, the face of the central figure is incomplete as Harrington covers the area of the eyes with colourful brushstrokes and finishes the outline of the scalp with a simple curved line. In that way, the identity of the male figure remains disguised, and, as he presents the body of a dead bird to the viewer, the gesture exposes the violence of the power systems without explicitly defining responsibility for the crime. Harrington’s representation leaves the viewer curious about the identity of the central figure as well as the roots of the violence that led to the bird’s death. From this perspective, notions of accountability and complicity are central to this eclectic piece, in which period costumes intertwine with freehand spray painting, reminiscent of Harrington’s roots in the street art of his native Cork.
