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In discussing the Moscow piece with Dan, he lights up and tells us... I saw that and, as soon as I walked in [to OX-OP] I said, "Put a dot on it. I want it." When I talked to Oksana about it, I go, "To me, this seems to be a political commentary about the state of Russia." She said, "Well, what do you mean?" I said, "The middle deer is Russia. It's trapped between idealism and reality." And she said, "You nailed it on the head!"

Robert Williams, artist and founder of Juxtapoz Magazine, is credited with first coining the term "Lowbrow" art, which has it's founding roots in West-coast underground subculture. The legend goes that Rip-Off Press was producing a book of Williams' paintings and Williams was in search of the perfect title. "The Lowbrow Art of Robt. Williams" is a prime example of the anti-establishment humor you can find in much of the work the term represents. Meant to be a "raised finger" to the highbrow art community for not recognizing the genre, things might have backfired, as the label seems to have stuck.

"Pop Surrealism" is another term that helps to define this current art form. Sometimes referred to as a synonym and at other times a separate movement with ties to Lowbrow, it is a term that many prefer because it avoids the stigma commonly attached to Hot-Rods and Tiki torches.

For those collectors that are able to see past the art-speak of the genre and enjoy the work because of the work, things are looking bright. For Dan Schlissel it was the visceral impact of the work that seduced him into collecting. And though Dan is hesitant to talk about the investment return that his collection could bring - which he has no interest in selling - it is a happy little place to be.

Unclassified

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