Pushing Boundaries
Chelsea MA Fine Art Interim Show
Chelsea MA Fine Art Interim Show
“Things
have got awfully tidy recently, there is a lot of finish on things. Clingfilm,
gloss and the neat hospital corners. The formula merchants are out in force.
They are in the market for guaranteed product” Tilda Swinton
On reflection
of our short time at Chelsea and the thought of writing something to accompany
our interim show, it became apparent that there was a conflict of interest.
Should the show be serious and “professional” or light and fun? Could light and
fun really be taken seriously?
I’m reminded of
a show - ‘Laughing in a Foreign Language’ at the Hayward gallery in 2008. Another reminder of how time flies!
Comedy, humour and satire resonates though this complex exhibition. It’s so subjective and variable according to
culture, religion and even intelligence.
Yet here we
are, despite a period of uncertainty - with a double dip recession and the
prospect of running out of water, petrol and electricity. There is political
unrest around the world with a shocking lean to the right in Britain with UKIP
having a platform in the media. Over population threatens to add even more strain
to these already difficult times.
If we take any
notice of hyperrealist John Gray’s ‘Straw Dogs’ we don’t have much to look
forward to, describing humanity as “a plague of bacteria that threatens to
destroy the world and everything in it”. If this is true, then why even make
art?
In the
microscopic environment of Chelsea, full of rich diversity and cultural
exchange - we can make a difference. There
can be no better way to do this than through the power of humour.
“What
we know of ourselves is what we know of the world.” James Joyce.
We push the
boundaries of our own knowledge, through reflection, evaluation and critical
analysis - through the discerning eyes of our tutors. So let’s not get too caught
up in the bureaucracy of the art establishment. Of course we need to be
respectful of those boundaries of which we all want to pass, but as Tilda
Swinton suggests things really have got awfully tidy recently, so let’s shake
it up, be rough around the edges... But
seriously…have some fun.
ualchelsea2014.blogspot.co.uk
Joshua Raffell MA Fine Art
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