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GROUP S'r-IOW BECK’S FUTURES 2 Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, Sat 2 Jun-Sat 21 Jul.
escribed as the only prize to rival the Turner, the
second Beck’s Futures Award kicked off at London’s
ICA earlier in the year. Making its way up north to Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery before touring to Liverpool and New York, the award presents the work of up-and- coming artists or, as Beck’s puts it, ‘tomorrow’s talent today.’
Of the ten selected future luminaries of the art world,
painting features heavily. The £24,000 winning cheque went to Tim Stoner for his idealised figurative paintings, which reference art historical scenes of play and pleasure. DJ Simpson is a painter of sorts, preferring an electric router to a paintbrush as he scores a multitude of shapes, squiggles and doodles across a wall-sized piece of laminated wood. Clare Woods’ acrylic works on MDF board are reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock in close-up while Simon Bill’s oval works are made up from found and bought materials.
Death by misadventure: John Russell kills Fabienne Audéoud in the style of William Burroughs
Burroughs accidentally shooting his wife Joan Vollmer.
‘We perform what we know of what happened,' says Audéoud. ‘Apparently they were high on drink and drugs and Vollmer said “let’s do the William Tell one”. She put a paper cup on her head, he aimed and shot her. He didn’t realise what happened until someone said “I think you’ve shot Joan.”’
Substituting paint for blood, red liquid spurts against the walls as Russell’s aim proves accurate. In the video installation of the piece, the camera then pans over the observing gallery goers, most of whom seem uninterested at this violent spectacle. It is that indifference which is central to their work.
Equally, in their expressionist-style paintings, Crucifixion takes the Christ figure from Matthias Griinewald’s lsenheim Altarpiece, overwriting the image with hard-hitting text. Of all the tortured Christs in the history of Western Art, Griinewald’s painting makes the most violent impact. Looking at the piece, it provokes a reaction, but is it in
Artists duo John Russell (founder member of art group Bank) and Fabienne Audéoud will be showing a series of ‘performance-active paintings' based on performance art and historical and religious paintings, and a DVD installation of their recent performance John Russell kills Fabienne Audéoud in the style of William Burroughs. And on the opening night, audiences will be able to see a live performance of this piece which documents author William
Genuinely funny and a touch harrowing to watch
86 THE LIST 2-1 May 5 Jun 3901
INSTALLATION
DAVID SHERRY: COMFORTABLY BEING ALIVE
Tramway, Glasgow, until Sun 10 Jun .0.
DaVid Sherry claims to make art by 'applying mild altercations' to his Iife. Gallerygoer beware: Sherry's idea of a mild altercation may well differ from your own. In his untitled Video work at the Tramway he sews his own feet to foot-shaped bits of balsa wood. then proceeds to go about his daily life. Once you have recovered from the shock of seeing a man take needle and thread to his own toes — if it is a prosthetic trick. it's a good one — the piece becomes utterly hilarious.
As he creates his eccentric footwear. Sherry explains that his inspiration is taken from 'anCient tnbes.‘ who reinforced the soles of their feet fOr practical reasons. throwing up odd little musings on ancient and modern lifestyles: 'I've used a bit of TCP on the cuts.‘ he says. ‘The anCients WOUICI
response to the harrowing image or the language used by Russell and Audéoud?
‘We don’t try to be shocking,’ says Audéoud. ‘What is shocking in the painting Crucifixion? The fact that there is a religion based on the idea of the sacrifice, to see the horror of a suffering man, to make a statement on the outcome of revolution or to use emotional language? The experience of life is shocking.’ (Helen Monaghan)
have used mud.‘ He may be commenting on the suffering artist. he may be pointing out the soeietal strictures that demand we conform to set ideas. like not sowing your feet to bits of wood. \N’hichever. the end result is by turns gripping. gt-rniiinely funny and a touch harrowing to watch.
The second work for the Traiiii.-.iag.»'s Dark Lights Commission series is less of a traumatic experience. An Investigation Into Extreme Boredom sOund and sculpture piece consists of two cardboard figures. one prone. one standing and a setindtrack to their conxersahon. The supine chap is Sherry. exploring the possibilities of tedium, wondering if the boredom he is suffering is akin to death. Again the piece is a laugh-out-loud run of guips. and again this distracts you from the matter at hand. David Sherry. then, makes some pretty serious points only to dress them up in the trappings of comedy. and it works ‘.'.'(;-ll.
(Jack Mottrami
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STAYING WITH THE Fruitmarket Gallery, two performances of Rembrandt 's Scarlet Woman by Yasmijn Karhof (pictured) takes place on Thursday 7 June and Saturday 9 June at 2pm. The piece is inspired by Geertje Dircx, the woman who was employed by Rembrandt after his first wife Saskia died to look after his son Titus. Rembrandt promised to marry Geertje but broke his promise as she was from a lower social class.
Yasmijn Karhof perform Rembrandt’s Scarlet Woman
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DUFF HOUSE IN Banff is to host a major international cultural conference from 31 May until 2 June. On The Edge brings together world experts on cultural development in remote areas, addressing the benefits and challenges these areas face. For further information check out the website www.duffhouse.com or call 01261 818181.