Kirk's Explosive Paints

My original intention was to make a plume of smoke. I keep trying to get more “formally abstract,” but metaphor keeps elbowing in. When I started to think about a base for it other than the nebulous industrial smokestack I had in the back of my mind I thought about Marcel Duchamp and his “Appolinare Enameled” piece and a Sapolin Enamel paint can. The label didn’t last but the idea for a paint can stuck. The stone wasn’t smoke, it was exploding paint, and the label had burned off in the heat. I simulated molten “sweat” on the surface of the can with braze and an English Brown patina. If you stretch it you could make a connection to Jasper John’s bronze beer cans, but I dunno. The wooden base is a compressed Brancusi pedestal.

When it was finished I still liked the idea of a labeled can and decided to make my own based on the logo for Kirk’s Coco Hardwater Soap.

Corel 10 is a great program, and I matched up the typefaces, colors, and, of course, the arrows from the soap wrapper. I put together my own set of directions and talked my friends at the Cigar Store in East Hampton to do an off-season show of “Kirk’s Explosive Paints.”

Everything was set up as if I was marketing an actual product. I had 30 cans of labeled “paint”, and numerous small sculptures as the "Hardened” paint.

The show was announced by the local papers and the NY Times, but no one came to my “demonstration” since the invitations I sent out were strictly for the joke. I just wanted to see people’s reactions when they walked in.  It was my hangout on the way to the studio, and Dennis, the owner, makes the best coffee in town.

I don’t know if it’s funny or sad, but a woman came back at the end of the summer demanding to buy a can of “Kirk’s Explosive Paints,” and it took quite a while to convince her that it was part of an art installation.

Introduction

Kirk’s Explosive Paints utilize state of the art techniques to exploit the naturally occurring fractals inherent in [Farrago]™ to create three-dimensional paintings. When applied to a subject matter, these fractals enhance and imbue the final object with a hitherto unknown presence of immediacy. This product is intended for conversational environments of diverse range.

Directions

Saturate [Farrago]™ with Creative Mix™ (See Restrictions) to achieve desired context. When conceptualized, remove unwanted blemishes from the [Farrago]™ and finish with Kirk’s Containment Wax® (See Finishing).

Finishing

Surface should be thoroughly dry before application. While the natural colors are stable in the most extreme environments, the surface is porous and can trap stains and dirt. Careful application of Kirk’s Containment Wax® results in a high gloss, ultra hard protective layer. Clean up with mineral spirits.

Restrictions

Due to the volatile nature of this material it can only be handled by professionals. A grade “E” dangerous materials certificate is required to receive and handle Creative Mix™. Painting licenses L.H.O.O.Q. and 2’M are advisable but not required. Care must be taken in advance to achieve the desired image. Failure to properly conceptualize the finished product will effect the final expression and are not the responsibility of the manufacturers. Improper application of Creative Mix™ may result in uncontrolled emotive force or the complete breakdown of [Farrago] into powder.

Abstract

Kirk’s Explosive Paints and associated products were developed by Kirk McCoy, a retired Defense Engineer who prototyped, among other items, three updates of the TOW Missile. He also contributed to the research on subversive color technology.

Inspired by the explosive armor plating retrofitted to Russian tanks to deflect the earlier TOW Missiles, Mr. McCoy saw the future potential for explosive paints.

After extensive research and field testing explosive paint was considered safe for commercial use if handled by professionals. Restraint seems to be the key to handling this volatile product, as it is with many other materials.