Marlboro presents the iconic brand name as a sculptural object, rendered in thick, tactile lettering that balances playfulness with critique. The word rises from a perforated horizontal base, its surface rough and materially expressive, bearing traces of erosion, oxidation, and deliberate imperfection. The letters, capped with rounded forms, evoke both industrial signage and hand-shaped matter, blurring the line between text, object, and symbol.
By translating a global brand into a materially charged sculptural form, Dokoupil strips the image of its advertising function and reclaims it as an autonomous artwork. Marlboro operates at the intersection of Pop iconography and post-conceptual sculpture, addressing themes of consumption, desire, and the decay of modern myths. The work stands as a compelling example of Dokoupil’s ability to convert familiar visual language into an object of critical and aesthetic reflection.
Marlboro, 1986 is a striking mixed media sculpture that embodies a dynamic fusion of materials and artistic vision.
Marlboro, 1985. Mixed media sculpture
Jiří Georg Dokoupil
Marlboro, 1985
Mixed media on gesso
Dimensions: 8 H x 15 W x 3 D in
Signed by the artist
Provenance Fernando Quintana gallery
Founding member of the “wild youth” art collectives Mülheimer Freiheit and Junge Wilde, artist Jiří Georg Dokoupil is known for defying classification with his continually evolving artistic style. Exploring over one hundred different artistic techniques and experimenting with neo-expressionism, figuration, and avant-garde styles, Dokoupil can only be described as a postmodern artist. In 1989 he began a series of soot paintings, using the flame of a candle as a paintbrush to depict figures such as Jesus Christ. Dokoupil has also experimented with using a whip as paintbrush, and has incorporated other unconventional materials such as liquid soap and rolling tires into his work.
