squirrel artwork

New Artwork: Redistribution

The DDR stationery (Deutsche Demokratische Republik, called the German Democratic Republic, GDR, or just East Germany in English), I was most excited to work atop from VEB Orange was a non-coated piece - a first for my Soviet occupation series - and I bought two for experimentation purposes! I suspected that given the normal paper surface, I might be able to erase a portion of the emblem from the surface. I experimented on one and discovered that with extremely sustained erasing, it was indeed possible.

I got to work, and eventually I managed to take a chunk out of the emblem and reinforced the fainter perimeter spots with pastel pencils. I then painted a red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) consuming the structure, dropping crumbs into it and below.

This is Redistribution, acrylic and pastel pencil on East German Socialist Competition stationery from 1984, 11.38x8.2”, 2026.

Shelby Prindaville's mixed painting of a red squirrel eating a DDR Socialist Competition emblem.