ARTmonday: Soft Powers Photographs by Joseph Desler Costa Speaks to Consumer Culture

Photographer Joseph Desler Costa’s exhibition “Soft Powers” is based on the concept of gently influencing ideas, subtly shaping human desire through appeal and attraction.

joseph-desler-costa-soft-powers-photography-8

installation view

As a political concept and strategy, soft power reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s during the Cold War. In the U.S. companies found new ways to influence behavior through sugary branding and corporate messaging driven by Coca-Cola, Hollywood, and other vehicles of consumer culture. 

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Prrrrince (2021)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

In his “Soft Powers” series, photographer Joseph Desler Costa uses the language and symbols of advertising and propaganda from those two decades to reflect on the power of persuasion.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Three Fingers (2020), detail
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

Costa combines multiple exposures, appropriation, and laser-cut, layered prints, to create images that look almost mass produced or machine made—as if they were rolling off of an assembly line.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

installation view

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Red One Piece (2020)
Dye sublimation prints on aluminum

“I often re-photograph my own images and incorporate them into new pieces to further drive this feeling of sterile reproduction,” the Brooklyn based artist says. 

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Newports (2020)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

The works are pastel-hued, product-like images that often incorporate recognizable logos, graphics, and album art laser-cut into the aluminum print surface.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Racquets (2021)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

“Soft Powers” images replicates advertising’s ability to create desire and manufacture beauty.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Order Substance (2020)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

installation view

“Soft Powers” by Joseph Desler Costa through May 29 at ClampArt, 247 W 29th St., New York City, clampart. com 

​All photos by Daniel Terna. Courtesy of the artist.

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Author: StyleCarrot

Marni Elyse Katz is a design writer and editor who lives in Boston and Cape Cod with her husband, two sons, and a cat. She blogs about design at www.stylecarrot.com

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