JACK FREAK

GILBERT AND GEORGE.
EXIBITION.
WHITE CUBE GALLERY.
MASONS YARD.
10 JULY - 22 AUGUST.

http://www.whitecube.com/exhibitions/jack-freak-mas/



I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS EXIBITION AT THE MOMENT. I WENT TO SEE THE IT AT MASONS YARD ON THE LAST DAY IT WAS OPEN. THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES YOU ABOUT IT IS THE SCALE OF THE WORK (SEE ABOVE PICTURE). YOU GO DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS AND WALK INTO A HUGE WHITE ROOM, FILLED WITH ENORMOUS 'STAINED GLASS WINDOWS'. THE WHOLE EFFECT IS THAT OF A CURCH, AND THE SILENCE IN THE ROOM ADDS TO THIS FEELING.


(G+G JESUS JACK 2008)


(G+G CANCAN 2008)


(G+G STREET PARTY 2008)

I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THIS EXIBITION BECAUSE IT RELATES TO TWO OF MY THIRD YEAR PROJECTS - 'THE BRITSHNESS PROJECT' AND 'THE BANNER'.
GILBERT AND GEORGE SYMBOLISE BRITISH ECCENTRICITY AND ALSO REFLECT OUT INHERENT CULTURAL SENSE OF HUMOUR. BUT ALONGSIDE THIS, THEY ALSO CAPTURE THE DARKER ASPECTS OF BRITISH CULTURE AND ALTHOUGH DISGUISED BY GARISH UNION JACKS AND BOLD ICONS YOU GET A SENSE OF A RATHER CYNICAL VIEW OF THE 'DILUTION' OF MODERN SOCIETY. I CAN RELATE STRONGLY TO THIS, AND OFTEN SEEK TO FIND THAT BALANCE IN MY OWN WORK.

THE CURATION OF THIS EXHIBITION WAS ALSO SOMETHING THAT I FOUND VERY INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THINKING ABOUT 'THE BANNER' PROJECT. WHEN MAKING THE BANNER I WANT TO THINK AS MUCH ABOUT THE CONTEXT IT WOULD BE SHOWN IN AS I DO WHAT THE BANNER ITSELF ACUTALLY LOOKS LIKE. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT JEREMY DELLER AND ED HALL'S 'FROM ONE REVOLUTION TO ANOTHER' SHOW OF TRADE UNION BANNERS - AND THERE IS A STRIKING RESEMBLENCE BETWEEN G+G'S 'JACK FREAK' SHOW AND THEIRS.


(JEREMY DELLER AND ED HALL FROM ONE REVOLUTION TO ANOTHER PALAIS DE TOKYO)


(JEREMY DELLER ED HALL FROM ONE REVOLUTION TO ANOTHER PALAIS DE TOKYO)

THERE IS A FEELING OF RECOGNITION WHEN LOOKING AT G+G'S WORK AND THEN LOKING AT ONE OF ED HALL'S TRADE UNION BANNERS. THE USE OF IMAGE AND TEXT IS PREVELANT, BUT ALSO THE SIMPLE BUT STRONG MOTIFS AND THE ACCUTE ATTENTION TO LAYOUT. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT FEELS VERY FAMILIAR ABOUT BOTH SETS OF WORK, THAT PERHAPS STEM FROM THE SUBJECT SOURCE..


(ED HALL TRADE UNION BANNER BRITISH FOLK ARCHIVE)


(G+G CHRISTIAN ENGLAND 2008)