Conspicuous Consumption Exhibition
The Conspicuous Consumption Exhibition at Billy Shire Fine Arts in Culver City, California from September 15th to October 20th 2007. The show included one miniature building, six large new paintings and one hundred and one smaller ones. Each six-inch square small painting was packaged in a plastic bag with a header card and mounted pegboard-style on the wall, perfect for the conspicuous consumption theme.
Magazine advert:
Postcard advert:
Shag worked with the massively talented Bamboo Ben to produce a miniature mid-century modern building called An Aesthetic Instruction in Conspicuous Consumption. This building was exhibited again the following year in the Art Shack Exhibition. Here are photos of the construction
The house was popular with both adults attending the Conspicuous Consumption Exhibition and with their children.
The two largest paintings in the exhibition are acrylic paint on canvas and both eight feet wide. The paintings were sold for $36,000 USD each.
Welcome To Our Glorious Lifestyle (35″ x 96″)
El Banderillero (41″ x 98″)Four acrylic paint on panel original paintings were shown at the exhibition. The Bear of the Ball sold for $12,000 USD, Lady Prometheus sold for $9,500 USD, Lady Z sold for $10,000 USD, and The Mentalist sold for $10,000 USD.
The Bear of the Ball (17″ x 36″)
Lady Prometheus (16″ x 24″)
Lady Z (18″ x 29″)
The Mentalist (17″ x 30″)The 101 small paintings measure six inches by six inches and cost $999.99 USD each. The paintings were contained in a small plastic bag on a header card with the name printed onto it. The bags were mounted pegboard-style on the wall, similar to a wholesale store. These shrink wrapped products fit well into the Conspicuous Consumption Exhibition theme and all the paintings sold out quickly. It is interesting to note that the exhibition raised just under $214,500 USD from the sale of the original paintings plus the funds from the sale of limited edition prints.
The six inch square ‘Genuine Shag Paintings’ were as follows:
Tiki Nest
Coconut Cocktail
Idol Akahu
Mask Of Kukua
Simian Swig
Brass Duo
Gina And The Cat
Idol Maku
Proud Partisan
Emaciated Guitarist
Idol Kamaha
Beat Bird
Pinks Passion
Idol Lomu Lomu
Morbid Cat
Pasties
Bird Trio 1
Bird Trio 2
Social Drinker
Orange Rigger
Empty Skull 1
Empty Skull 2
Dead Drummer 1
Dead Drummer 2
Dead Drummer 3
Dead Drummer 4
Purple Potable
Mask Of Mahanu
Pirates Last Drink
Catsuit
Foamy Cocktail
Speeding Shriner 1
Speeding Shriner 2
Glowing Puffer
Sad Executioner
Delinquent Monkey
Delinquent Monkey 2
Delinquent Monkey 3
Frustrated Ferdinand
Croc And Crow 1
Croc And Crow 2
Dog Chase
Perfect Cosmo
In Three Four Time
Fruit Salad
Bad Habit
Black Widow
Hello Old Friend
Three Part Harmony
B Chord
Little Valet
Impatient One
Mask Of Pahua
Bubble Sax
Mask Of Anumu
Rum Skull
Her Best Friend
Drunk Raven 1
Drunk Raven 2
Tobacco Monkey
Skull Collector
Mask Of Mohu
Mask Of Kakumu
Brown Skin Girl
Idol Makahu
Blue Stewardess 1
Blue Stewardess 2
Green Skin Girl
Singapore Sling
Curious Hummingbird
Oldest Crow
Idol Kalaha
Maiden Of The Moon
Hummingbird Surprise
Volcano Bowl
Idol Lokuku
Drum Signals
Cocktail Monkey
Mask Of Kalili
Menehune Mask 1
Menehune Mask 2
Careless Monkey
Idol Manoko
Idol Lumani
Smoking Break
Lucky Shriners
Thirsty Like The Wolf
Dead Bon Vivant
Mask Of Kumu
Crow Martini 1
Crow Martini 2
Idol Manahunu
Blue Birds Ghost
Idol Kuaho
Tiki Swizzle
Volcano Goddess
Five O’clock Sharp
Mask Of Kunu
Idol Koro
Idol Hakona
Nose TickleThe exhibition also included several limited edition prints.
And some gallery shots to finish, showing the framing and a happy Josh Agle.
Seen Again
Speeding Shriner 1 and Speeding Shriner 2 spotted for sale in 2020:
Morbid Cat in 2011:
Morbid Cat at auction in 2024:
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