A German artist who calls himself Kong has unveiled a surreal project which seems to explore contextual meanings of objects.
He has used eyeballs as a medium to do this, and also to encourage the viewer to explore how a mere body part can take different meanings when placed in different situations. The art project involves several white balls that have a black iris painted on them. When placed strategically in various situations they assume different meanings and roles. Sometimes, these roles and meanings can be shocking and sometimes surreal. Sometimes, the meaning could be bizarre enough to confuse the viewers.
For instance, he places the eyeballs on a scientific instrument, which render a rather industrial feel to the situation. When placed on a toilet seat with a tissue paper hanging from the edge of the seat, the eyes give life to a grotesque creature that almost makes you feel like the commode has come to life. in fact, the eyes give life to various inanimate objects and give a sense of being watched or being observed.
A half bitten biscuit is watched by a dustbin with the same eyes and seems to question or embarrass those who leave their rubbish behind, without bothering to clean up or throw waste into the bin in the right manner. The project aims at exploring themes of being watched and observed in urban spaces and may also be a subtle way to question the increasing use of CCTVs and other security measures in large cities.
Ich Bin Kong, or ‘I am Kong’ in German, seems to be an artist who likes to tease the viewer with possibilities that exist in different contexts and situations. If you like surreal art, you could also take a look at the Abstract Paper Artwork, which explores surreal themes as well. If you like something geekier, you could take a look at Martin Luther King in Rubik’s Cubes.
