Joseph Wardwell, Change Will Do You Good, 2012, oil on canvas, 72 x 108 inches, Museum Purchase
Window Arcade Gallery
The display of this painting in deCordova’s Window Arcade Gallery is part of a program that brings focus to exceptional artworks from deCordova’s permanent collection. Works are rotated periodically, allowing visitors to experience rarely seen pieces.
Joseph Wardwell reinvigorates the landscape genre by overlaying a beautiful idyllic mountain scene with punk lyrics from the song “Damaged Goods” by Gang of Four. The lush mountain range in the background is interrupted by the bold orange text that cryptically implies that a change is needed to save oneself and the natural world.
Wardwell earned a BA and BFA from the University of Washington in 1996 and a MFA from Boston University in 1999. He currently lives and works in Boston, MA and is an Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Brandeis University.