Pat Phillips : Quality Control

A visual primer on Philips’ graffiti-infused critiques of American culture, examining his material resources alongside his paintings

This volume compiles Philadelphia-based Pat Phillips’ (born 1987) photography, sketchbook drawings and reference materials alongside artworks spanning the past 10 years of his career. With a foreword by Mario Ybarra and an interview with Mark Thomas Gibson, the book includes installation photos from the Whitney, M+B Gallery and his recent solo exhibition at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery.
Historical graffiti, personal photos and the experience of growing up in Louisiana figure heavily in the artist’s work, visible here in collages and full-page spreads. Indeed, Phillips' paintings often combine personal and historical imagery in surreal juxtapositions, drawing on his experience living in the US to meditate on complex questions of race, class, labor and a militarized culture. Objects that suggest the violent underpinnings of this country and its institutions crop up frequently, such as confederate flags, fences and guns.