Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
Jeffrey Charles Gallery, London
13 August ' 12 September
Reviewed by: Len Horsey
What we have here is the simultaneous presentation of two solo shows: 'Temporary Tattoo' is a video showing a self-indulgent venture. The palm of a hand is sprayed with glue then dried rigorously with a hairdryer. After continual testing for dryness, text is applied, after a short time the 'tat' is peeled away, crumpled up and left, all to an intended (hopefully) dodgy rock soundtrack. It put me in mind of an updated Warhol factory film with better technology and glue, revealing the same human mundanity and display of futile pursuits, compressed effortlessly in to around five minutes. A thinly disguised inclination towards inactivity shown through activity, almost like a public announcement film documenting our current cultural predilection for speed and the temporary. The second gallery space suggests the opposite: widespread pro-activity and community backlash with instructions by means of narrative explanation and detailed blueprints. 'Murder as a fine art' is presented as three beautifully drawn plans of precession, celebration and burial' of a mural artist, all done in response to a 200-metre long mural in East London. Attention to detail is paramount within the architectural containment of the ritualised slaughter/mercy killing. Digestion is completed by means of a take-away polemic. Vasseur reacts to 'neo-liberal public art projects' with quasi-religious aplomb that reeks of a passion unafraid to speak its name, but held in check within the gallery for all to enjoy. Stepping between the two galleries, there is a consideration of tandemic implication within the arrangement of the two shows. The side-by-side set-up offers a noteworthy juxtaposition. In each work the allusion is to a different outcome (non-activity and pro-activity), but through the clarity of intent, humour and site, we get to revolutionise and trivialise at the same time. Vicariously of course.
Writer detail:
Len Horsey is an artist and writer.
Venue detail:
Jeffrey Charles Gallery
34 Settles Street, LONDON E1 1JP
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