Visual Art
I DRAWING. SCULPTURE AND VIDEO " DAVID SHRIGLEY DCA, Dundee, until Sun 21 Jan 2007 0...
David Shrigley is famous for absurd work and has a large helping of schoolboy humour. But it is his sculptures that are most memorable in this mini- retrospective. Cast aside the ‘but is it art?’ comment, commonly attached to his work - it is tired and naive, at best - there is more to it than that. You could say his work is disposable, typically viewed in the Guardian on Saturday, and binned on Sunday. So what is the difference between what we see in print and what we are presented with here?
His drawings are commonly reproduced so it is not surprising that it is his unique
- ‘ . i e lptures that are most attractive in this - fl 3' oil 5°”.
- m a m n exhibition. ‘Bronze Man’, 2004 (pictured),
g A at y ya: abandoned in the centre of the gallery,
says most about his work, while ultimately saying least. Small and vulnerable, this work does not hide behind the usual one liner, but sums up a lot that his other works don’t. The lone figure also signifies the obvious divide between his drawing and sculptural works. Huddled in groups around the gallery, the drawings contrast directly with the singular sculptures, suggesting Shrigley’s creative struggle between aesthetics and anti-aesthetics.
The collection of new drawings, titled ‘Books With One Page’, are departures from his earlier works. These shout profound statements, ‘GOD IS IDLE’, ‘ALL OF US’, empty of sentiment and barren. Shrigley carefully balances humour and typography amusingly, provoking a nervous laughter that reminds you everything is not all right. (Steven Cairns)
PAINTING. PIIOIOGRAPI-IY. were 5_ . 2 - a ’. v ..7 :s' ~ ‘ ‘_ ~ «F; ._‘».<“.'3‘§':«‘§ ANDINSIALLAIION ‘ ., = _, , ‘ -' 5+ _ .; i?“ FRIEDRICH-MARCUS AMM HELENE - 1 ' : ‘ * - - * w -- ~ APPEL EVA BERENDES ELLEN .. - , _. ' A ~ . . m -' ~ GRONEMEYER ALEX HEIM KARIN RUGGABER AND NICOLE wEnMEns Doggerfisher Gallery, Edinburgh, until Sat 3 Feb 2007 O...
The seven artists in this exhibition are united geograpliicaIIy. aII originally from Hamburg and now based in London. In bringing them together. London-based Bruce Haines. curator at Camden Arts Centre and co-director of Ancient & Modern ‘."./|.‘3ll(38 to draw attention to the shared sensibilities brought abOut by their collective upbringing. Along With this the artists are friends. which ought ineVitany to lead to the bouncnig around of ideas between them. These close affiliations are also of interest to the curator. the intimacy of their group acting like a maguette for the 'insider' art world itself.
Looking for shared ideologies amongst them makes compelling and in-depth Viewing given the diversity of their practices. ranging from r.)hotography. film and installation to painting. For example. Ellen Gronemeyer makes small paintings on paper ‘~.‘.’Illl a distinctly German Expressionist feel. angular, distorted figures in Hansel and Gretel—ster narrative landscapes. \.*~.Ihereas Alex I-Ieim creates rough. textured installations =.'-/hich seem to reference a more destructive. urban landscape v pieces of broken tunnel displayed alongside smashed up wing mirrors. Eva Benderes' installations are more delicate and sensitive. geometric constructions made from coloured paper and ‘.‘-.iood as in 'Jasmine and 'Ireilis' in stark contrast to Alex lleim's black and white. semi abstract architectural photographs. which seem to bear reference to the German artist Gunther Forg. In a culture wheie national identity is increasingly muddied it is worth Viewmg works by artists With a solid awareness of their roots. Described as a; . v .4 3- . . ~ 'conversatioii' between the artists by the curator. the artists “ , ‘ ' . ‘ i' l ' ’V - ' g . Untithofii ‘- here combine their own dialect Wllll enough accessil'nlity to ~‘ "i ‘ " ~‘ " 4» i J l by‘EIlen‘ qrbnemeyér absorb the eavesrIropping viewer. (Rosie Lesso)
.1 18 .Jan 2005 THE LIST 81