“ART RAT” BY JIM JENKINS

Jim Jenkins’ “ART RAT” is a contemporary electronic, motor-operated sculpture, made with aluminum and vintage pieces measuring 22” x 18” x 10”. By pressing the red button, the letters change from “ART” to “RAT” and back to “ART”. This artwork was originally part of a group exhibition, “TRUTHINESS”, in which all the artworks represented the artist’s interpretation of the term “truthiness”, meaning partial truths. Jenkins plays with the idea that Art is a subjective truth and by turning into Rat it shows the viewer that Art can be mendacious at times.

Jenkins brings life to the inanimate with mechanical movement and creates a presence of its own as the sculpture performs for the viewer. Jenkins is influenced by various natural movements. His motorized pieces move with precision as they support the theme of the piece made from found materials. Jenkins uses text in his pieces to redirect the viewers attention from the movement to the concept.