JOSHUA GOODE

Joshua Goode is a Texas-based artist whose community-based “faux” archaeological actions constitute a kind of social sculpture — while questioning the origin of History, writ large. His totems pay homage to pop culture’s idols, blurring the historical record with lowbrow meta-narratives and eroding the boundaries between fact, fiction and satire.

“These are the initial discoveries from an active excavation at an undisclosed location,” Goode states. “The location must remain a secret because of the potential history-altering magnitude of the discoveries being made. Although, these artifacts may provide insight into what legends may be proven real.”

Suburbian America’s patron saint, Marge Simpson, is thus re-imagined as the Venus de Milo, an ancient Greek sculpture thought to portray idealized feminine beauty and grace. Goode’s miniature version, replete with a deceptively rich patina that alludes to the passing of time, symbolizes a glitch in the matrix—convoluting eras, civilizations and social constructs.