Dave Mordini and the Uncertain Modern Self
Mordini creates social commentary through object-based installation art. The artist is inspired by punk, dark humor, camp and posthumanism. “My work transitions from the refined to the dark, it’s sometimes subtle and others direct. I like to play among all of these worlds going back to Mozart and forward to hardcore punk,” Mordini explains.
His work is often fun and playful while maintaining a dark underbelly. He creates body parts that are human-like, but they are not human. They are actually alien, and frequently mistaken for human. Mordini says, “They are ‘the others.’ That otherness creates a fluid anxiety that I find compelling.”
Repetition is a common theme throughout Mordini’s work. The artist is attracted to industrial repetition and the alienating experiences that multiples can create. “I like exploring the unique qualities found in repetition. The more things are similar, with subtle differences, the more it draws in people’s attention as they work to identify those differences within the similarities.” The artist explains: “Brian Eno says it best – ‘Repetition is a form of change’.”
Recently Mordini’s work has been going through a transition as he moves into more political and social art. “Things are so absurd and dangerous in the world right now, that I think I have to be blunt and direct,” Mordini reflects. “The convenience of subtly and nuance have become too costly. Hardcore, political punk rock was part and parcel of my self-development, and by extension, my art. I am now reclaiming those dark, punky, and pointed roots. We have entered ‘Bizzaro World’ and my work reflects that.”
Bio
David Mordini is an artist who lives and works in the Washington Metropolitan Area. He received his BFA from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in 1995. Mordini’s work was originally selected as part of the permanent collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and now is held in the permanent collection at American University. He has served on the boards of The Washington Project for the Arts and the Washington Sculptors Group.
In 2015, Mordini co-founded Otis Street Arts Project, and is now its sole proprietor and director. This Maryland-based art space features artists’ studios, galleries, and a workshop/maker space. OSAP has quickly become an important community gathering and arts exhibition space in the DC metro area.
In recent years, Mordini has been exploring the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, like 3D scanning and printing, into his work. He has also been returning to his punk-rock culture roots, presenting edgier, more politically pointed work, often with darkly humorous themes.
In recent years, Mordini has been exploring the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, like 3D scanning and printing, into his work. He has also been returning to his punk-rock culture roots, presenting edgier, more politically pointed work, often with darkly humorous themes.