For his exhibition, die Pampertaarten at Reena Spaulings, New York artist Marc Kokopeli takes up a popular craft practice known as “diaper cakes.” Diaper cake ideas use baby diapers to fabricate fanciful, themed objects, which are then offered as gifts at baby showers and gender reveal parties. While Pampers make up the primary material of these sculptures, found objects and mixed media are also combined to produce forms resembling ATVs, motorcycles and other vehicles. The works are presented on custom, felt-covered plinths. One sculpture (Braunkohletageabbau, 2020) is modeled after a German bucket wheel excavator, used for industrial coal mining. In the making of die Pampertaarten, Kokopeli sometimes consulted instructional videos on YouTube. See die Pampertaarten at Reena Spaulings, New York until June 26th.
Milk Twin, 2020 Mixed media 39.37 x 3.81 x 66.04 cm ; 15 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 26 in each
Spill, 2020 Mixed media 38.1 x 40.64 x 38.1 cm ; 15 x 16 x 15 in
Safety Pin, 2022, Mixed media 29.84 x 26.03 x 48.89 cm ; 11 3/4 x 10 1/4 x 19 1/4 in
Braunkohletageabbau, 2020, Mixed media 93.98 x 41.91 x 119.38 cm ; 37 x 16 1/2 x 47 in
Elmer, 2020 Mixed media 38.1 x 31.75 x 31.11 cm ; 15 x 12 1/2 x 12 1/4 in
Pink Gun, 2022,Mixed media 44.45 x 30.48 x 45.72 cm ; 17 1/2 x 12 x 18 in
Demon, 2020, Mixed media 38.1 x 19.05 x 40 cm ; 15 x 7 1/2 x 15 3/4 in
Bassinet, 2020 Mixed media 43.18 x 22.86 x 36.2 cm ; 17 x 9 x 14 1/4 in
Rubber + Rattle, 2020, Mixed media 25.4 x 8.89 x 43.81 cm ; 10 x 3 1/2 x 17 1/4 in 13.33 x 9.53 x 31.75 cm ; 5 1/4 x 3 3/4 x 12 1/2 in
Garden, 2020 Mixed media 45.72 x 33.02 x 58.42 cm ; 18 x 13 x 23 in
Images courtesy of the artist and Reena Spaulings Fine Art, NY/LA / photo credit: Joerg Lohse
Editor’s Pick: Marc Kokopeli
For his exhibition, die Pampertaarten at Reena Spaulings, New York artist Marc Kokopeli takes up a popular craft practice known as “diaper cakes.” Diaper cake ideas use baby diapers to fabricate fanciful, themed objects, which are then offered as gifts at baby showers and gender reveal parties. While Pampers make up the primary material of these sculptures, found objects and mixed media are also combined to produce forms resembling ATVs, motorcycles and other vehicles. The works are presented on custom, felt-covered plinths. One sculpture (Braunkohletageabbau, 2020) is modeled after a German bucket wheel excavator, used for industrial coal mining. In the making of die Pampertaarten, Kokopeli sometimes consulted instructional videos on YouTube. See die Pampertaarten at Reena Spaulings, New York until June 26th.
Milk Twin, 2020
Mixed media
39.37 x 3.81 x 66.04 cm ; 15 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 26 in each
Spill, 2020
Mixed media
38.1 x 40.64 x 38.1 cm ; 15 x 16 x 15 in
Safety Pin, 2022, Mixed media
29.84 x 26.03 x 48.89 cm ; 11 3/4 x 10 1/4 x 19 1/4 in
Braunkohletageabbau, 2020, Mixed media
93.98 x 41.91 x 119.38 cm ; 37 x 16 1/2 x 47 in
Elmer, 2020
Mixed media
38.1 x 31.75 x 31.11 cm ; 15 x 12 1/2 x 12 1/4 in
Pink Gun, 2022,Mixed media
44.45 x 30.48 x 45.72 cm ; 17 1/2 x 12 x 18 in
Demon, 2020, Mixed media
38.1 x 19.05 x 40 cm ; 15 x 7 1/2 x 15 3/4 in
Bassinet, 2020
Mixed media
43.18 x 22.86 x 36.2 cm ; 17 x 9 x 14 1/4 in
Rubber + Rattle, 2020, Mixed media
25.4 x 8.89 x 43.81 cm ; 10 x 3 1/2 x 17 1/4 in
13.33 x 9.53 x 31.75 cm ; 5 1/4 x 3 3/4 x 12 1/2 in
Garden, 2020
Mixed media
45.72 x 33.02 x 58.42 cm ; 18 x 13 x 23 in
Images courtesy of the artist and Reena Spaulings Fine Art, NY/LA / photo credit: Joerg Lohse