Germ Meets the Twins from Parris Jaru's Chronicles of Bad Germ series stands as a chaotic narrative that once again examines the interplay of social dynamics, status, and survival in the art world. Born out of Jaru’s frustration with the artificiality and hypocrisy of the creative hierarchy, the series uses the recurring character of “Bad Germ” as a metaphor for those who rise and fall within these power structures. The series began in 2019, inspired by Jaru’s experiences observing a culture in which social connections, trends, and personalities outweigh the value of the artwork itself.
...more
Germ Meets the Twins from Parris Jaru's Chronicles of Bad Germ series stands as a chaotic narrative that once again examines the interplay of social dynamics, status, and survival in the art world. Born out of Jaru’s frustration with the artificiality and hypocrisy of the creative hierarchy, the series uses the recurring character of “Bad Germ” as a metaphor for those who rise and fall within these power structures. The series began in 2019, inspired by Jaru’s experiences observing a culture in which social connections, trends, and personalities outweigh the value of the artwork itself.
This particular work captures a moment of intense interaction between multiple figures—distorted, abstracted, and almost caricatured. Jaru uses bold, black linework, paired with fragmented speech bubbles that inject an absurdist narrative into the piece. The interaction between the characters—symbolized through their dialogue, including the comment “Your piece is kinda like Bad Germ”—implies an exchange of status and control within a tightly-knit community. The figures’ visual language—reminiscent of comic-strip aesthetics—pushes the piece beyond pure abstraction, creating a multi-layered work that speaks to the hyperreal, sometimes ludicrous reality of artistic reputation.
As with Jean Dubuffet’s Art Brut and Philip Guston’s grotesque caricatures, Jaru’s work operates through raw, emotive energy and political critique, using color and form not just as an aesthetic device but as a way to unpack societal issues. The sharpness of the figures’ features and the disjointed arrangement of text and image speak to Jaru’s ability to integrate social commentary into the visual language of art, offering a compelling commentary on how culture and power inform the artist's journey.
The title, Germ Meets the Twins, underscores a theme of intergenerational tension and repetition: just as the figure of Bad Germ continues to rise and fall, so too does this cycle of cultural appropriation and influence, always circling back on itself. This piece is not just a commentary on the art world but a vision of the world at large, where identity, ambition, and social survival are often rooted in the pursuit of fleeting, hollow status.
less...
