We think it’s best if you sit down for this one. Now listen carefully, we hate to break it to you, but Moe’s Tavern doesn’t actually exist. Nor does the fictitious Kwik-E-Mart in the equally imaginary Springfield. Satriale’s Pork Store, you know, the place Tony Soprano did his business? Again, not real.
The same goes for Seinfeld's favourite restaurant, Monk's Cafe (picture 1 above), Sesame Street (picture 2 and 3) and Bluth’s Original Frozen Banana Stand (below). Each and every one of them was invented for the purposes of televisual entertainment.
And yet somehow they feel real. We’ve seen them on numerous occasions. They exist in the sphere of pop culture so we have a tangible relationship with them.
That would seem to be the thinking behind artist Tim Doyle’s imaginative new exhibition anyway. Entitled Unreal Estate, Doyle has drawn the aforementioned TV locations, and many more besides, as if they were real – well, real in a cartoon sense. Is this getting all a bit post-modern?
Whatever, they look ace; they remind us of some of our favourite TV shows and they’re infused with cultural meaning. That’ll do for us.
If you happen to be in San Francisco in February may we suggest you see the artwork in the flesh at the Spoke Art Gallery.
The Simpsons - Moe's Tavern
Arrested Development - Bluth's Frozen Banana Stand
The Simpsons - Kwik-E-Mart
The Sopranos - Satriale's Pork Store
