Angry Horde, 1998
orange tree branch, torch head, torch hose, valved propane tank of 20 ounces
2 1/2", torch hose c. 6'; overall dimensions of installation vary;
numbered, signed, and dated on bottom of orange tree branch; ed. of 15
SOLD OUT

Much of the work of Martin Kersels embodies a humorous contrast between awkwardness and grace.  Angry Horde is no exception. The piece consists of an orange tree branch with a hole drilled through it vertically from top to approximately one-third from the bottom. Threaded through the hole is a rubber hose connected to a torch head embedded in the top of the branch and, at the other end, to a small propane tank that sits on the floor. Accompanying the piece is a striker like those used in labs to ignite bunsen burners; embedded in the branch is hardware that offers the option of hanging the piece on a wall. Kersels has created an amusing, poignant, and utterly non-partisan object that can function as easily for a member of rioting mob as it can for the collector who needs an elegant poolside torch.
A multi-media visual artist, Martin Kersels's work has been exhibited across the country and worldwide, in such shows as "Defining the Nineties: Consensus-Making in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles" at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami, the 1997 Whitney Biennial, "La Belle et La Bete: Un Choix de Jeunes Artistes Americains" at the Musee d'Art Moderne Ville de Paris in France. He is represented in Los Angeles by ACME.