Still Life With Smart Phones (After Jan Davidsz de Heem, Abundant Still Life with a Parrot, c. 1655) Painting

Okshteyn’s practice comes from the concept of difference and appropriation. It explores the varying relationships between popular culture and fine art. In the current climate where many believe history has no relevance, he continually returns to those aspects that still strongly resonate with us today by meticulously preserving disappearing objects and artifacts for posterity or reproducing excerpts of iconic works of art and inserting them into contemporary context. Artist Statement In my varied and diverse approaches to making art; installations, paintings and sculpture my methodology is consistent. Although there may not always be material similarities between the different bodies of my work they are linked by recurring formal concerns and through the subject matter.  The subject matter of each body of work determines the materials and the forms of the work.  Each one often consists of multiple works, often in a range of different media, grouped around specific themes and meanings.  During research and production new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of work.