LAUNCH F18 is delighted to present Chad Bentley & The Collection II in a special presentation in its online Viewing Room. We are thrilled to feature The Collection II, an intimate look at the priceless collection of 20th century fine arts trading cards, detailing some of the greatest stories and characters in the game, and amassed by Chad Bentley himself. The cards were first used as an accessory in the Spring 20 Gucci collaboration with Chad and later gained widespread attention when Chad purchased the one of a kind PSA 10 MT Jeff Koons rookie card. Chad Bentley & The Collection II will be available and for viewing from October 22 - November 21, 2020.
Playing the eccentric persona of Chad Bentley, Miles Warner has created a platform to uniquely critique contemporary art culture. Warner’s fabricated character, Chad Bentley, is a celebrity living an unattainable lifestyle. With unmatched fame and success, and an undeniable social appeal, everyone either wants to be him or be with him. He is American Royalty.
Through this character, Warner has established a platform to examine current American values. In the artist’s own words, he describes this work as using “…this facade to critique both the upper echelon and those who ceaselessly perpetuate the illusion of the new American Dream.”
Chad Bentley & The Collection II highlights a series of works that propagate the continuous search for the next “art star.” The Collection takes these remarkably historical figures and boosts their celebrity persona by creating trading cards of these individuals. Featuring artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Cindy Sherman, and Bansky, Miles has expanded upon the importance of these artists in a rather fitting popular context. Warner establishes the character of these works as a “priceless collection” and in doing so has reshaped the meaning of art, particularly the sense of spectacle, and ignited a new dialogue about American cultural history.
Click here to watch Chad highlight several of the trading cards in this special YouTube video.