Off view
American, b. 1961
Hunting Blind (The Dandy Rococo), 2008/2019
Mixed media installation
9 ft. 2 1/4 in. x 7 ft. 6 9/16 in. x 11 ft. 5 13/16 in. (280 x 230 x 350 cm)
Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York/Los Angeles
Photo by Jeffrey Jenkins
This hunting blind is covered in phragmites, a vigorous reed found in wetland habitats, to camouflage its structure in this aquatic setting. Inside, however, is an elegant sitting room complete with eighteenth-century ornate finishes fit for an aristocrat. One in a series of hunting blinds created by Dion, this folly sets the stage for a hunter who revels in the fineries and culture of the sport, highlighting one of many reasons a person might choose to hunt. Dion explains, “The blinds or hides are period pieces in a sense, but . . . each can be found today. . . . The dandy hunter who sees hunting as part of the continuity of class privilege is (sadly) alive and well.”