Shelf Obsessions VIII

Size:21 x 16 in.

Shelf Obsessions VIII is a 17" x 12" mixed media piece that captures The Connor Brothers’ signature blend of satire, nostalgia and quiet subversion. A neat row of invented book spines stands against a stark white background, their patterned covers evoking the worn textures of mid-century paperbacks. On closer inspection, the titles reveal the work’s true voice: wry, knowing and laced with humour. Phrases such as “I Drink Therefore I Can”, “Afternoon Drinking – Don’t Wine About It” and “Alcohol You Later” hint at the rituals and contradictions of modern escapism, where wit masks discomfort and self-reflection is poured into a glass.

Coffee stains mark the empty space surrounding the books, becoming both visual punctuation and narrative clue. They suggest a life lived just out of frame – a bar table, a late night, a moment paused. The supposed stillness is full of character, reminding us that objects can speak louder than people.

The Connor Brothers, the artistic partnership of Mike Snelle and James Golding, are known for transforming pulp-fiction aesthetics into contemporary social commentary. Originally introduced to the art world under a fabricated biography, they continue to explore the unstable nature of truth, playing with illusion to reveal emotional honesty. Their work straddles irony and sincerity, inviting the viewer to laugh first and think after, questioning not only what is real, but why we are so willing to believe the stories we’re given.