Profile of Artist Joshua Short
You may have noticed the large, majestically floating cardboard sculpture in the main room at Ghost Ship—the Loch Ness Cadillac — with the body of Nessie and the head of a Cadillac. It was created by artist Joshua Short, who’s been contributing to the event since it’s inception seven years ago. This was the first piece in a while that Short felt inspired to produce, admitting that some years it feels like making party props.
This year however, his piece artistically resonated with him because of its evolution. Short did a series of charcoal drawings earlier this year that combined Cadillacs with alligators (which you can check out on his website: joshshortusa.com). It started a train of thought: an analogy of the last creatures of the dinosaur age (like alligators) that are still alive today, with vehicles that still use oil (like Cadillacs), even as we move beyond that dependence.
“There are still these relics of times passed, so I’ve been mixing those metaphors. And Ghost Ship was an opportunity to actualize one full scale.”
Short typically works in the bougie/fine art world, making art for museums and galleries, “but every year I come back and do this because it’s just a lot of fun.”
“It’s funny though, to make something with this level of intensity for a two day event. But the dichotomy is that although it’s only two days, more eyes will see this than any kind of work I’m going to do at a gallery over the course of two to three months.”
This contrast fits into Short’s life as an artist though, because as a career artist who considers art a compulsion, he’s producing work for all sorts of venues. Whether it’s the streets, galleries, museums, parties or raves. “It’s just an outlet.”
He’s also deeply interested in creating American Mythologies because of how young a country the United States is. He recently traveled to Europe for the first time last year, visiting Italy in particular.
“I noticed how culturally, they just build upon their pervious civilizations. Everywhere you go you’re just buried in history.”
This got him thinking about American culture, which doesn’t have that history yet, but is quickly on its way. Like Detroit, a boom town fifty years ago but now a kind of wasteland.
“That’s a kind of mythology in the making, just as the ancient Greeks had relationships with their ancient Gods that are still recognizable in their culture. So to me, I start to think about what is going to be indicative of our legacy, of our cultural history. And the automobile has always been a part of it.”
Short also looks to sound for inspiration. Growing up with punk music, he’s always been drawn to very loud dissonant sounds that make him think of its vibrational qualities. Now sound has become a root of some of his art, and he considers it “the material relationship to sound.”
“Although I never really ask for it, I keep finding myself making art where sound accompanies it. And Ghost Ship is big bassy electronic music.”
— Originally published in 2014 on the now defunct 1690Post.com