Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
Q Arts Gallery, Derby
22 April – 4 June
Reviewed by: Alexandria Clark
It was my first time in Derby, the rain was pouring, but I was invited to smile from the start. Q Gallery’s ‘Future Focus ‘06’ takes you on an appealing journey through an exploration of communication, how media events are perceived, and the role of faith in our lives.
From David Garratt’s vibrant welcome, to the political room installation by Lori Amor, you find yourself continually questioning where happiness fits into each piece and into your future. In David Garratt’s documentary he interviews his mum, a teacher, a multi-faith leader and his mate on what makes people happy. He questions whether it’s from childhood, good finance or faith, and comes to the conclusion that it is “from spending time with people whom you like”. Well, to be honest, most of us could have told him that from the start, but I do understand why he felt the need to make this piece. As you watch you find yourself questioning your happiness and your need to spend time with friends and family. We all believe we know what possessions and things make us happy, but when do we ever stop, think and act on it? And this is what Garratt’s work tries to achieve. We should not go out looking for something that we think should make us be happy, but be content with what already does. He also gives us a Reciprocate my Smile postcard. Supposedly Britain is the world’s twenty-first happiest country and by asking us to record whether, when we smile at strangers our smile is returned, we are given the chance to interact and help make Britain happier.
Lori Amor’s installation room New Year’s Models brought gravity to the exhibition. A room of stacked boxes, a computer, President Bush conspiracy files and a security monitor encourages us to ask whose room it was and what it was for? Through the handle holes of the labelled boxes, images of the two princes William and Harry, a miniature screen of changing photographs of American soldiers, evidence of the Tsunami disaster, a box titled Crawling Curb are shown. In another, a cardboard figure of the late Pope waves. This comical image of the Pope is paralleled with the silly music from Paula Ginn’s piece The Hand of God, making us question whether the role of faith in society and the media is mainly just for comic value. This archive shows the past few years through the media and prompts us to remember the past. I found myself forced to become child-like as I had to stand on tiptoes or kneel on the floor to peer into the boxes. I felt manipulated as if I were forced into becoming vulnerable, which perhaps imitates the hold that the Government and the media have on us, and through communication from them (or lack of it) we are manipulated to see or forget what they choose. I consider this piece to be incredibly successful, and as more and more new artists seek to create these installation rooms, we are forced to question the characters the artists create, and the truth they have left behind.
I do believe that the ideas focussing on communication, interaction, truth, and the media investigated in this exhibition are very pertinent issues in our modern day lives. As I left and walked down the street, getting water in my eyes yet smiling at these Derby strangers, I felt better in myself, knowing there was a possibility of making someone else slightly happier. Garratt had helped me to break down the usual boundaries of privacy usually held, and put a silent communication in its place.
Writer detail:
Alexandria Clark is a second year Fine Art Student at Nottingham Trent University.
Venue detail:
QUAD
35/36 Queen Street, Derby DE1 3DS
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