The .01%

Don't be shy, give those images a click

〰️

Don't be shy, give those images a click 〰️

ABOUT

The β€˜0.01%’ series, exhibited as part of the Whitney biennial β€œDebfair” in 2016, explores themes of ownership by portraying the often excessive and myopic outlook of corporations and societal definitions of β€œsuccess”. By appropriating mass-produced stock certificates of now defunct companies (parodying the very industry and culture they represent), Simmons highlights the acute tension between competing economic ideologies - extreme self- indulgence versus social enterprise.

DIMENSIONS: 8.5(h) x 11(w)
MEDIUM:
Painting, Drawing and Mixed Media on Vintage Stock Certificates
YEAR:
2014 - 2021

The characters embody a tension between disillusionment and exuberance, eye-rolling and open longing; managing to appear at once vulnerable and completely over it. They ride the wave of the zeitgeist - the title recalls a plethora of events from the Occupy Wall Street movement to the 2008 crash and, more recently, the populist policies of Bernie Sanders - yet serve as a sort of 'memento mori,' a reminder of the ephemeral nature of all things; everything must end. They all, nevertheless, recall the enduring themes of money, morality, and gender-biased culture.

FAQs

  • YES - I can’t draw / paint like a MACHINE. Plus, I don’t mess around with replicas - the whole point of this series is to bring authenticity and whimsy by combining the old (aka - the stock certificate) with the new (aka - my illustration / screen print) and have each piece be one of a kind. So, to answer your question in plain terms, yes, they are authentic stock certificates, not some cheap imitation.

  • Look at who's diving into the rabbit hole of financial relics! A vintage stock certificate is like a piece of art from the era of quill pens and ink blots. It’s essentially a fancy piece of paper, adorned with intricate designs and official-looking stamps, proclaiming your ownership of a share in a long-gone company. While all trading is now digitized, these certificates have become a symbol of nostalgia and are a tangible connection to a bygone era of investing. It's a sassy contradiction to our digital age, where everything is reduced to pixels on a screen, and a bold reminder that tangible objects still hold power and meaning in an intangible world : )

  • Absolutely. I love working on custom projects - especially if there is a brand that has emotional relevance to you or a family member. There’s a 90% chance I can find a vintage stock certificate for what you have in mind, assuming it was (or currently is) a publicly traded company.