Germ Buys a Dragon is a dynamic and satirical work from Parris Jaru’s Chronicles of Bad Germ series, where the artist continues his exploration of the art world’s obsession with influence, power, and fleeting fame. The series, which began in 2019, was inspired by Jaru’s observations of how trends and social maneuvering dominate the art scene, often reducing creative spaces to arenas of validation rather than artistic appreciation. The recurring figure of "bad germ" serves as an allegory for the cultural cycle of hype and disposability, a tastemaker navigating a world where status is ephemeral.
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Germ Buys a Dragon is a dynamic and satirical work from Parris Jaru’s Chronicles of Bad Germ series, where the artist continues his exploration of the art world’s obsession with influence, power, and fleeting fame. The series, which began in 2019, was inspired by Jaru’s observations of how trends and social maneuvering dominate the art scene, often reducing creative spaces to arenas of validation rather than artistic appreciation. The recurring figure of "bad germ" serves as an allegory for the cultural cycle of hype and disposability, a tastemaker navigating a world where status is ephemeral.
This composition—executed in bold black-and-white linework reminiscent of underground comics and political cartoons—features a grotesque, wide-mouthed beast, seemingly being negotiated or acquired by "bad germ." The exaggerated teeth and contorted figures add a sense of urgency and chaos, reinforcing the theme of power exchange, manipulation, and the absurdity of constructed hierarchies. The text fragments, such as “This is the tooth reality” and “Where’s bad germ on top?”, contribute to the surreal narrative, further emphasizing Jaru’s sharp social critique.
Jaru’s work operates on the border between comic illustration and fine art, a duality that places him in conversation with artists like Jean Dubuffet, whose Art Brut aesthetics embraced raw, unfiltered expression. His exaggerated forms and use of text also recall Philip Guston’s later works, where grotesque figures and cartoon-like imagery served as a vehicle for social and political commentary. Unlike Roy Lichtenstein, who borrowed from mass media, Jaru creates his own mythos, constructing an allegorical world that reflects the unpredictability and absurdity of artistic influence.
At its core, Germ Buys a Dragon critiques the transactional nature of the art world, where prestige and power are treated as commodities to be acquired, exchanged, and eventually discarded. The dragon—traditionally a symbol of strength and domination—becomes a satirical metaphor for the pursuit of status, highlighting the precarious nature of influence.
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