American artist Deborah Kass (b. 1952) makes work that combines an interest in popular culture, art history, and identity. One body of work, grouped under the title ‘Feel Good Paintings for Feel Bad Times,’ features large, typically brightly colored text on canvas. These paintings pull words and quotes from a variety of pop culture sources and combine them with the artistic styles of famous male artists to reflect on post-War American culture. The works within the series provoke both nostalgia for and critique of the democratic optimism of the era, such as in Kass’ 2010 C’mon Get Happy. The painting confronts the viewer both visually and didactically, with the vibrant block hues of artists like Frank Stella and Ellsworth Kelly and a forced declaration of positivity.

Learn more about the work that inspired this pin HERE.