JD Reforma (b.1988) is an interdisciplinary artist working broadly across sculpture, performance, installation, video, photography and writing. The meaning explored in his work is embedded in different racialised and classed contexts: the lived experiences of the Asian-Australian diaspora; popular culture and the cult of celebrity; corporate branding and institutional critique; and political dynasticism and cultural imperialism. He is also a humourist and satirist, a practice enacted online through the Instagram persona Keeping Up With the KPIs, a meme-based account in which the ubiquitous Kardashian/Jenner celebrity dynasty are positioned as imaginary figures within an institutional critique of the art world.
About the work
Imperial Leather is a series of silk textiles modeled on the disposable sheet masks found in skincare products. Draped along the exposed scaffold, the cheekbones of the exhibition, its physicality reflects the fatigue of the texts that appear and recede into its wrinkles: ‘crow’s foot’, ‘sleepy hollows’, parenthetical nasolabial folds. Stretched, sagged and frayed, each mask bears the imprints of its use – tracing the artist’s visage while simultaneously concealing it.
Imperial Leather, 2021
Digital prints on silk twill
Dimensions variable (130–183 cm diameter)
With thanks to Elliott Bryce Foulkes and Alix Higgins.
JD Reforma (b.1988) is an interdisciplinary artist working broadly across sculpture, performance, installation, video, photography and writing. The meaning explored in his work is embedded in different racialised and classed contexts: the lived experiences of the Asian-Australian diaspora; popular culture and the cult of celebrity; corporate branding and institutional critique; and political dynasticism and cultural imperialism. He is also a humourist and satirist, a practice enacted online through the Instagram persona Keeping Up With the KPIs, a meme-based account in which the ubiquitous Kardashian/Jenner celebrity dynasty are positioned as imaginary figures within an institutional critique of the art world.
About the work
Imperial Leather is a series of silk textiles modeled on the disposable sheet masks found in skincare products. Draped along the exposed scaffold, the cheekbones of the exhibition, its physicality reflects the fatigue of the texts that appear and recede into its wrinkles: ‘crow’s foot’, ‘sleepy hollows’, parenthetical nasolabial folds. Stretched, sagged and frayed, each mask bears the imprints of its use – tracing the artist’s visage while simultaneously concealing it.
Imperial Leather, 2021
Digital prints on silk twill
Dimensions variable (130–183 cm diameter)
With thanks to Elliott Bryce Foulkes and Alix Higgins.
Runway Journal acknowledges the custodians of the nations our digital platform reaches. We extend this acknowledgement to all First Nations artists, writers and audiences.
Runway Journal is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Runway Journal receives project support from the NSW Government through Create NSW.
Runway Journal acknowledges the custodians of the nations our digital platform reaches. We extend this acknowledgement to all First Nations artists, writers and audiences.
Runway Journal is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Runway Journal receives project support from the NSW Government through Create NSW.