Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
Cubitt, London
23 February – 18 April
Reviewed by: Heather Phillipson
According to statistics, there is a high probability that marriage will end in divorce, and ‘Mum and Dad Show’ is the product of just this occurrence. Curated by Tom Morton, son of Rose Scott and Jack Morton, once-married artists whose work is shown here, the exhibition take as its premise the difficulties of human relationships generally, and between artists, couples, and between parents and their children, specifically.
In this instance, the parents have not spoken since 1982. Framed in these terms, the ‘dialogue’ that their work enters into is one in which their son-as-curator (from cura, meaning to ‘care’ or ‘cure’) becomes a mediator. It is as if through reunification he might emphasise what is shared: a history, an artistic disposition, a child. However, what is not shared becomes just as important: the twenty or so years during which their son was growing up. Detectable in the dates of the work – most of it made either prior to the separation or in the last half-decade – is a sense of absence: a ‘lost time’ becomes apparent. Noticeable also is the disproportionate number of works by ‘Dad’ (only ten out of the forty seven works displayed are by ‘Mum’); something else about the nature of this three-way relationship is hinted at.
But are these things of relevance to the work itself? In a show that takes biographical information as its foundation, the audience is invited to read into precisely such details, and this is both the exhibition’s problem and its strength.
Where, ordinarily, the bringing together of two relatively different artistic approaches opens up a potentially interesting exchange in terms of the work itself – Jack Morton’s work tends towards the surreal: re-contextualisation of everyday objects, word play (poetry from Ginsberg to Basho), humour and ambiguity; Scott’s contribution is mainly works on paper – drawings, prints and watercolours – here it is viewed, primarily, as being representative of a child’s parents; seeing the work independent of these roles becomes almost impossible. Given that the works were not made specifically for this exhibition, and are not overtly about the relationship between these people, this is something of a failing: anecdote overwhelms artistic merit. What is successfully examined, however, is art-as-communication (or, in this case, lack thereof): the works sit side-by-side but do not respond to one another. In light of the biographical premise of the show, the works become the manifestation of irresolution between two people, despite the liaisons of their son.
“What I’m interested in”, said Tom Morton in an interview, “is how that sticky, very personal stuff combines with the notion of the public gallery”. While the ‘personal’ may not be explored in the work itself, somehow the public gallery does become a site for questioning it.
Writer detail:
Heather Phillipson
heatherphillipson1@yahoo.co.uk |
Venue detail:
Cubitt Gallery and Studios
8 Angel Mews, London N1 9HH
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