96 Gillespie presents Mythical, Domestic, Working & Loved: Animals in Contemporary Art, 25 Jan - 17 Feb 2008
Gee Vaucher, Michael Sieben, Jay Ryan, Diana Sudyka, Daniel Higgs, Melanie Standage, Savage Pencil, Pat Graham, Chin Keeler,
Robin Footit, Eric Claridge, Adam Wallacavage, Scott Mcphearson, Tom Messenger, David Shillinglaw, Rich Jacobs, Jeremiah Green,
Tom Messenger, Kevin Willis, Michael McLeod, Tara Jane O'Neil, Pandora Vaughn, and more.
96 Gillespie Gallery is proud to present Mythical, Domestic, Working and Loved.
Mythical, Domestic, Working & Loved presents works by 15 international artists, with new commissions by Daniel Higgs, Michael Sieben,
Chin Keeler, and Adam Wallacavage; life size portraits by Gee Vaucher; and projects by Melanie Standage and Diana Sudyka.
The exhibition features works in which animals are used to illustrate spiritual, political or social aspects of human life and
encompasses printmaking, photography, painting drawing & sculpture. Comic and mystical, figurative and occult: the styles represented
are as diverse as our relationships with the creatures themselves.
From the cave paintings in Altamira and Lascaux to Damien Hirst's shark, animals have remained one of the most frequently depicted
subjects throughout the history of art. Dogs and horses in much Victorian art represented idyllic English country life during a time
when the rural environment was being transformed by the industrial revolution. In the fifteenth century, when the church reigned
supreme, demonic beast-like creatures were frequently used to depict the terrifying consequences of sin. More recently, conceptual
artists have used animals, often controversially, to confront attitudes about life and death, science and ethics.
The one common thread in these varied examples is Metaphor. If an artist can depict innocence, cuteness or beauty, then they can
often make a statement or express a difficult opinion more effectively than if they smacked the viewer in the face with harsh,
unveiled truth. Animals are the nearest link between humans and the natural environment and therefore they are often the best device
through which artists can tackle the complicated and difficult subjects that perplex humans in the human world. We use animals to
see and understand ourselves.
Mythical, Domestic, Working & Loved has been curated by Melanie Standage and
Laurie Taylor.
For more information/images please contact Pat Graham 0207 503 3496
Private viewing to be held on Thursday 24th January from 7-9 pm
Location: 96 Gillespie road, London N5 1LN
Opening hours: Th-Su 2-6pm. or by appointment
Phone: 0207 503 3496
Admission: Free
http: www.96gillespie.com
Tube: Arsenal (Piccadilly Line)
Bus Routes: 19, 4, 106, 236
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