Petra Mrzyk & Jean-François Moriceau, who often get pegged under the title of ‘contemporary artists’ are an eccentric duo better known as ‘Mrzyk & Moriceau’. They are graphic artists who play with their subjects and cultivate them into erotic pop art innuendos that are actually very intellectual. They break the perfect description of societies ‘irrelevant and unreasonable standards of behaviour’, thus standing out of the ‘status-quo’ created amongst artists all around the world.
These two play with the anatomical parts of our body, everyday objects and classic characters, transforming them into a unique representation of its action. Whatever we would tend to perceive as an image, is distorted by them and pieced together under a totally new light, therefore giving it an entirely new meaning. They also break all the shackles society has created and deal with sensitive topics as such LGBT and sex. Alongside this, they also try to get rid of the taboo behind these concepts by representing them in repetitive patterns or comedic graphics that evokes a new perspective regarding topics that matter or by simply just letting their audience know that these are normal actions that everyone takes in part, thereby erasing any awkwardness that might bubble up to the surface.
Here are a few images that are some my favourite or were most liked by their followers on Instagram.
Let’s start off with a few of their clever graphics that simply put a smile on your face.
Look at how they induce reality to a classic character that will remain in our hearts for generations to come, through their art.
Some of their works break societal norms and portray humans in their most raw and vulnerable form.
Some of their works break societal norms and portray humans in their most raw and vulnerable form.
Now for our daily dosage of some satirical humour and irony.
Bringing uniform and non-uniform spaces together to focus on its contrast.
Bringing uniform and non-uniform spaces together to focus on its contrast.
The duo started working together in 1999, after they met at the Beaux Arts Quimper. They initially worked on graphics for a few music labels, but later went to focus on social reform through the medium of graphic erotic pop art.
They choose black and white as their predominant colours, since they want to represent and dedicate their work to a universal group that is not divided by race, class or ethnicity. It is scientifically proven that, when there are lesser colours in an image, people not only get more attracted to the image, but they also pay more attention to the subject that is being discussed. Therefore the artists are able to ensure that their visual efficiency is at its maxim by the usage of just these two nun colours.
And, finally expressing the evolution of technology through clever graphics.
With their constant attempts to get rid of hatred towards people of different sexual orientations or just people with different thought processes, they try to draw a line that every one is able to relate to and hence help people realise that in the end of the day, we are all the same with a billion similarities. We need to understand that sex and sexual orientation is a freedom of choice and expression and no one has the right to interfere or change another person’s preference. In my opinion, this duo have taken a step to revolutionise the thought process behind ‘sensitive’ matters and regularise the concept in an entertaining yet educative manner, thereby removing the word ‘sensitive’ and replacing it with something that makes these topics more approachable and free of any negativity. We live in the twenty-first century, and we need to progress as a community. This duo is trying to help us proceed in this path of togetherness, with the help of their art.
You can check out more of their work on their website.
I hope we as the world’s future leaders, get together and help overshadow or even erase any differences that may lie within us, and walk together, hand in hand building a new progressive world where no one is afraid to live life as they wish to.
