Exhibition statement by Anderson Caira, organizer of Now Introducing Mr. Blank and partner of the late Griffin Fisher

“Now Introducing Mr. Blank is a solo exhibit about the stripping of identity under capitalism—the removal of nuance from human existence. Griffin Fisher’s work forces us to ask: How do we view ourselves, as opposed to how an imperfect social order categorizes us?

The Mr. Blank persona was created by Fisher as part of their art making process. He represents a financial sponsor, manager, or supervisor. Through performance while painting, Fisher reflects on their role as a worker and how their work is consumed and can be made consumable. Xerox prints and spray paint posters. Livestreams.

Fisher shares pieces of their self with the audience in each of these works—they share their queerness, chronic pain, and solidarity as a member of the working class. The artwork on view marries different aspects of the artist’s life with their perceived value under capitalism as a worker. Paintings littered with personal references reflect the artist’s desire to reach out and bring to question our values as individuals and as consumers.

This exhibition is a love letter to my partner, Griffin, and all the ways they see their world. This exhibit is about their grief—the grief of the loss of autonomy in a world that places such a heavy burden on individuals to be productive. And this exhibit is also about my grief—the grief of losing someone who understood me and others in ways nobody else has. But grief is love transforming. In this space: feel love. Feel solidarity. Recognize the alienation we all feel when we move through life on autopilot. And appreciate the beauty of your time here on this plane. Embrace grief’s revolutionary nature to make us slow down in an economy that depends on our endless productivity.”

About Griffin Fisher

Griffin Fisher was a queer multimedia artist from upstate New York. Their work explores the relationship between identity and capitalism. Fisher speaks to a universal feeling of alienation and attempts to combat it by painting their experience with queerness, mental health, and chronic pain. Throughout their art career, in addition to personal works, they have created artwork for student unions, political campaigns, and music videos. This exhibit is their first official gallery show, but they have self-hosted multiple pop-ups, including their thesis show at Waitt’s Mount in Malden, MA. Fisher received a Bachelor of Arts in Revolutionary Visual Art from Emerson College. Griffin Fisher passed away in August of 2022 at the age of 22.