To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his miniature car sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Born from a fascination with the soap box derby cars of his youth, each vehicle is an exercise in imagining the future through the lens of the past – or vice versa.
This recent work entitled “Denkbilder” explores a different kind of travel, linking not only the past to the future, but also the subjective realm to the conceptually abstract. Coined by German theorists of the Frankfurt School, “denkbilder” translates to “thought-images,” a term defined as “parabolic evocations of something that cannot be said in words.” “Thought-images” provide modes of communication that seek to push conceptual thought past rigid boundaries set by social subjects and objects.
Pared down to its most essential elements, “Denkbilder” sets aside cultural symbols and references, favoring the timelessness of simple forms and clear ideas. The work is comprised of an illustration of two simple models, accompanied by the same models in three-dimensional form. Defying categorical and temporal interpretation, the objects work in concert “to suggest nothing more than a burgeoning thought or idea.”
Set of three, including one painting and two models.
Painting: Oil, collage and mixed media on canvas board.
Models: Acrylic, collage and mixed media on cardboard.
Additional Dimensions:
Painting: 19.5"W x 0.75"D x 11.5"H
Left Model: 12"W x 2"D x 6.25"H
Right Model: 12"W x 1.5"D x 6"H