Michael Thrush is an Atlanta-based artist, originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is easy to understand that he is inspired by the Pop artists and advertising's psychological use of color. Though, it is not the entirely the same. His work differs from the classic Pop Art of the '60-70', in that there is not a detached relationship to the facade questioning the banality of all things. He acknowledges that imagery is personal, as well as universal in its understanding.
The paintings of Michael Thrush have been described as Hyper-Pop, Neo-Pop, and Post-Modern Appropriation Art because it utilizes existing imagery from advertising and popular culture. Appropriation is a common visual strategy used by Post-Modern artist, based on the premise that "there is nothing new under the sun", Ecclesiastes 1:1-3. The understanding is that all the major themes and dialogs have been discussed. Though, originality can be found in the approach.
For Thrush, The search for originality is achieved by recontextualizing found imagery through semiotic relationship. He explores pictorial languages & conventions to create a different visual response and meaning to his chosen imagery. The imagery is questioned through a socio-political paradigm, where the origin of the imagery is often known from its cultural familiarity. The original intent of the imagery is questioned through new configuration of relationships and context and become something new. The works main intent is to challenge the viewer to look deeper into the images presented to us on a constant basis. From conversations with several Copyright Lawyers, the work is protected under 'fair use' legislature.
Thrush often orchestrates a variety of different styles into his composition. In doing so, he eliminates the need for a singular style, but he maintains his strong aesthetic mark in his paintings. Rather than adopting the tired system of creating a body of work that describes the same thing, Thrush is more concerned with experimentation and the readaption of themes and how a single image reads.
