Feature: THE UNITED STATES OF MIND
RISING TENDENCIES TOWARD THE UNITED STATES OF MIND
Brought to You By The Children of !WOWOW!
“Forget Warhol, not only is he dead but he has been outdone. This
is decadence Marie Antoinette style, fabulous on top, dirty underneath.”
Dazed & Confused
A shaman writhes on the concrete floor, convulsing in tongues, whilst
the girl draped in folds of black fabric inflates into a six foot sphere.
Images of old-America folk musicians share wall space with polymorphous
forms that ooze onto the floor below.
Having transformed a greasy Kwik-Fit garage into a space where art is
as at home on the walls as it is on the dance floor - we know that we're
not in Peckham anymore. Experience displays of mindless optimism and romantic
constructions of grandeur for the latest renegade art happening organised
by the !WOWOW! collective. Forging their own idealistic community in the
neglected urban district of Peckham, this clan of misfits have made a
name for themselves with their lineage of prodigious art parties thrown
in a derelict discothèque. Adding new meaning to the phrase “all
that glitters is not gold”, this group of avant-garde bohemians
provide a space where artistic pastiche becomes a form of playful subversion
through the combination of outlandish creativity and CULTural (sic) rebellion.
Reminiscent of The Factory with the Situationist’s flare for DIY
revolution, the members of !WOWOW! have built their own magical and autonomous
world, which is both ridiculous and inspiring.
To augment their non-conformist reputation, the collective will be hosting
an art exhibition entitled Rising Tendencies Toward The United States
Of Mind (RTTUSM). Providing a venue for aesthetic interventions of the
most extreme nature, these artists represent new mythologies of the fantastic.
Gareth Cadwallader's narrative oil paintings present collages of utopian
possibilities. Set against sublime landscapes, his subjects range from
John Steinbeck's novels to the album covers of early field recordings
from the library of congress folk archive.
Matthew Stone’s grandiose and baroque 'extended family' portraits
circumnavigate art history citing passionate trailblazers from his self-proclaimed
“Trans-historical artistic family”. Those easily recognisable
include Caravaggio, Gericault and Joseph Beuys.
Dan’s Walwin's imaginary systems are created out of refuse materials
that provide hypothetical tools for the excavation of truth. One of which
is an instrument that translates human voices into birdsong.
Curated by Matthew Stone and Brianna Toth, Rising Tendencies Toward The
United States Of Mind spark these dialogues by presenting artwork as tactical
tools and non-dogmatic models for humanity. The artists are Atla, James
Balmforth, Gareth Cadwallader, Juliette Dalton, Adham Faramawy, Ben Howarth,
Gareth Pugh, Boo Saville, Matthew Stone, Ellie Tobin, Dan Walwin and Katsunobu
Yaguchi.
The second half of the evening will culminate in a live-art ball, which will take place in a separate venue. The featured live artists include *RT SH*M*N - Matthew Stone, Lali Chetwynd (DJ set), Elvis ‘Mick’, The Alpha District, No Bra and the Tea and Toast Band.
PRIVATE VIEW: Friday the 17th of June from 6pm – 9pm
the !WOWOW! Space, 97 Peckham Road, London. SE15 4PT (Just beyond SLG)
Secret after party to follow – attend private view to learn location
Buses: 12, 36, 171, 343, 436 Nearest tube: Oval/Elephant For further information
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