Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
Catalyst Arts, Belfast
10 November – 9 December
Reviewed by: Raymond Watson
I encountered David Sherry’s ‘Something inbetween the teeth’ at Catalyst Arts, Belfast. First impression – it’s humorous but I did wonder about the artist’s stated intentions. Briefly he discussed these as “a questioning of human relations and social conventions”. No matter what the ambitiously stated intention, interpretation occurs when the acquired knowledge of the viewer(s) confronts a text. Despite criticisms of elements of the exhibition, some of this work grabbed my attention, some even made me laugh – I don’t laugh easily.
Before entering the gallery I read the usual preliminary info about the artist. In his own words he says “Social rules and regulations fill up every head to bursting point”. As a dry fact I just can’t agree. Probably ninety-five per cent of everyday social rules are invisible; I suspect that only a tiny percentage of the population feel that their heads are about to explode. As a theatrical statement I suppose it is totally valid, but is it a valid statement to support this exhibition?
Among the work are two written documents that recount funny theatrical interventions that make enjoyable reading. Sherry bought all the Rolos from a shop and then sent someone else in to buy more. The humorous gem that made me laugh was the act of going into a restaurant and asking for the bill without having actually eaten anything. A funny story, but I recall undergrads in theatre studies pulling similar ‘happenings’ as part of their coursework. To his credit the artist does say that he “would love to go into comedy”. I found it hard not to place the David Sherry Promotional (an accompanying booklet of drawings) into the above category.
The audio visual installation Brushing The Teeth is very interesting. The artist placed a public advertisement for a hygienist to brush his teeth every day and to make polite conversation while carrying out the task. The presentation of this curious act is questioning, comical and serious. Personally it took me somewhere close to a satirical sneer at a world gone hypersensitive about sterility; amongst other things it also reminded me of the humiliation of Saddam Hussein – but I’m an audience member with my own peculiar interpretive system.
Brushing The Teeth serves as a brilliant transition into a different inner reality. It is a very successful piece that goes a long way towards the revelation of a phenomenon that is otherwise hidden. There are other successful pieces – The Coke Dance: the artist pours out a can of coke then performs a sticky dance on the liquid. The visual image of Bottlehead is fascinating; in fact I still wrestle with the various possibilities of that image. Would an audience come away from this exhibition with an enhanced awareness of human relations and social conventions? Only the audience can answer that one.
Writer detail:
Raymond Watson
raymond@watsonr9.fsnet.co.uk |
Venue detail:
Catalyst Arts
2nd Floor, 5 College Court, Belfast BT1 6BS
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