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'SOFTCITY' Political Art Exhibition, London, April - May

LAURANORDER | 22.04.2002 13:49

SOFTCITY Exhibition of paintings by LAURANORDER

Tues 23rd April (6pm-9pm) for 3 weeks
Oval House Theatre, Oval/Kennington, London - Oval Tube
(sharp left out of tube, opposite cricket ground)

'SOFTCITY' Political Art Exhibition, London, April - May
'SOFTCITY' Political Art Exhibition, London, April - May


As an anarchist I struggle to create a synthesis of the political and the spiritual, and art and life. In doing this i am hoping to capture the transient moment of epiphany, that ephemeral experience where everything seems to gel and coalesce, and one feels temporary respite from the alienation of the capitalist consumer society. I have been making large scale multi-figure compositions and have been inspired by the Mexican muralist painters. I have been drawn to making murals because of their egalitarian nature, that everyone, irrespective of social class, has access to them. They belong to everyone. The mural's position in the community, on the wall of a building, shows a co-occupation by art and other manual work. The mural is intrinsically political because politics permeates every aspect of our lives. The mural can fix a message in time and becomes rooted in its environment. The boundaries between art and life become blurred as the sheer scale of the mural forces the viewers position away from the spectator to participant.

"At its best, art is a lie that helps us to realise the truth, at its worst, it's a confirmation of the lies we inherit" (Picasso)

I have been drawn to the idea of making large scale public works because it fits within my ideological framework. I have been influenced by Anarchist thinkers, by the Do-It-Yourself ethos of Punk, by the Situationists and various counter-cultural and agitational currents. I am politically active and wish only to make work that challenges the society we live in, not work which upholds the status quo. What interests me is returning to art its socially transformative power, work which is open and accessible, and which offers a critique of the society we live in while offering hope for an alternative and better future. I have put my services as an artist at the disposal of the Anarchist movement...i will do record sleeves, banners, backdrops etc, free of charge. If you need any artwork for your group, action, band etc, get in touch and we can discuss ideas.

LAURANORDER
- Homepage: http://www.lauranorder.com

Comments

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Nice to see Picasso making a comeback

22.04.2002 14:11

I'll try to get to this exhibition. Meanwhile, I drink a Pernod and light a Gitane in support...

Antoine Roquentin