GAARNICA (2024), Devon Marinac in collaboration with Emjayo’see, Series of 14 Unique Hand-embellished Screenprints, Mixed Media on Artisanal Paper, Printed by Pudy Tong at Open Studio, Toronto, 42″ x 36″
In this masterful reimagining of Picasso’s anti-war opus “Guernica” and Brueghel the Younger’s “The Tax Collectors Office,” GAARNICA stands as a tour de force of fiscal artistic expression. This extraordinary collaboration between acclaimed Toronto artist Devon Marinac and veteran tax practitioner-turned-artist Emjayo’see delivers a searing commentary on Canada’s evolving tax landscape.
The work’s grotesque figures writhe and contort through a dystopian landscape of regulatory complexity, their forms fractured by the cubist technique that so perfectly mirrors the fragmentary nature of tax avoidance schemes. Marinac’s virtuosic handling of the screenprint medium, enhanced by bold hand embellishments in crimson and obsidian, creates a visceral tension that speaks to the high stakes of contemporary tax planning.
The dollar sign blazing at the composition’s heart serves as both anchor and wound, while the surrounding chaos of figures and text fragments perfectly captures the anxiety-laden dance between tax planners and regulators. The work’s timing—coinciding with watershed amendments to the General Anti-Avoidance Rule through Bill C-59—transforms this piece from mere commentary into a prophetic document of Canadian fiscal history.
As the cornerstone of the groundbreaking GAART movement, GAARNICA exemplifies the rare fusion of technical tax expertise with raw artistic power. Its presence in prominent collections across three continents testifies to its universal resonance, speaking to audiences far beyond the confined world of tax law.
Pricing TBD, Available soon at the GAART Store.
Thanks to Ben for the review and critical assessment of the work.