John Y. Wind
Blue Jay, 2022
Assemblage
17 x 12 x 12"

Artist Statement
Blue Jay is from my "Whiskey Rebellion" series, in which I embellished a series of figurative whiskey decanters originally produced as collectibles by Jim Beam and their competitors in the 1960s and 70s. While most of "Whiskey Rebellion" focuses on Revolutionary War heroes, the birds serve as companions to the generals and soldiers, and are embellished in similar manner--teasing the flamboyance of military regalia by using charms, social action pins, and other contemporary materials to recontextualize and engage them in the current moment.
The use of birds has another reference as well, and that is to my 'day job' in the gift world. "Put a bird on it," was a refrain popularized by the TV show Portlandia, and refers to the timeless appeal of bird imagery at retail~ A factor at play in my selection of this work for the InLiquid benefit as well ;)

Artist Bio
John Y. Wind is a multi-disciplinary artist, creating narrative portraits, assemblages and installations. He is also the co-founder of Maximal Art Inc, known for 40 years of 'Modern Vintage' fashion jewelry and gifts, sold internationally under the John Wind brand. His work has been shown and collected by the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of the American Revolution and Woodmere Art Museum. A new exhibition, "Dear John: John Frederick Lewis, John Yaron Wind and the Rosenbach Brothers", is currently on view at the Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia through December 2026.

johnywind.com

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