English Magic - Jeremy Deller
Influenced by English history, heritage and folklore, English Magic is an exhibition that connects directly with people, time and place. Uniting painting, photography, video and objects to tell tales of British society. Riding off the successful reception at the Venice Biennale in 2013, English Magic is now on tour across the UK and is currently in Bristol until September.
The film English Magic introduces the exhibition. A Hen Harrier comes in to land. In super slow motion the birds' majestic grace is exemplified reaching out with its powerful talons; watchers cannot help but feel respect for its potential and nobility. Two
of these extremely rare birds were allegedly shot down by members of the royal family over hunting
grounds in 2007.
The film moves on to a scrap yard, a mechanical claw crane hovers over its auto mobile victims. Uncoincidentally, the claw selects a Range Rover as its target, satisfyingly piercing the windows with a shattering grip. Revenge is sweet, and a recurring theme within Dellers work.
The film moves on to a scrap yard, a mechanical claw crane hovers over its auto mobile victims. Uncoincidentally, the claw selects a Range Rover as its target, satisfyingly piercing the windows with a shattering grip. Revenge is sweet, and a recurring theme within Dellers work.
From the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery collection a set
of taxidermy birds of prey are set high up around the darkened room. Illuminated by spotlights they gaze down at
the viewer in accusation and satisfaction.
This film demonstrates the two sides of English Magic, the 'good' and the 'bad'. It moves on to document Sacrilege (2012) a life sized inflatable model of Stonehenge, a public art work playing with history and British identity. The steel pan soundtrack coupled with people leaping across 'Stonehenge', caught in moments of mystical levitation, demonstrates a lighter side of English Magic through the celebration of people.
Connecting music and politics, Deller fluctuates between celebration and social injustice. The exhibition presents documentation of David Bowie in concert as Ziggy Stardust in 1972 alongside images of IRA bombings, civil rights movements and social demonstrations that occurred in the same year. These are marked on a map of the UK, opening up a crossing between experience and myth, reality and escapism. A reminder that culture manifests in all aspects of life, even in times of difficulty.
This show also exemplifies how elements of British society run in parallel and in contradiction to each other. Social and collaborative experiences that approach English Magic from all directions even in agreement and disagreement with each other. In a time when 'British Identity' is being questioned, this show considers how the notion of 'Englishness' has changed over time and allows the viewer to reflect on events of the past and impart their own values and beliefs.
 |
| A good day for cyclists, painted by Sarah Tynan |
 |
| We sit starving amidst our gold, painted by Stuart Sam Hughes |
No comments:
Post a Comment