by George Ward.
The recently opened Subversive
Design exhibition at Brighton Museum and Art Gallery helpfully defines the
word subversive as you enter as “Having tendency to overturn," and, "to turn upside
down.”
Most of the works attempt to challenge your preconceptions
about everyday items and create a discussion about some of society’s problems. Unfortunately,
many of them were so unsubtle that very little discussion was required.
The best exhibits were simply the most beautiful ones that
made me feel uplifted. The daisies in the chamber of a glass gun and replacing
the pin in a glass grenade turned these violent objects into “emblems of hope
and peace” as artist Layne Rowe intended.
Other notable pieces were those that suggested another use
for things that we normally treat as rubbish (such as Rebecca H Jocelyn’s Crumpled can jug made of precious
metals, see picture). It shows the propensity for humans to throw away things
of value.
I was extremely irritated by the wallpaper named Sharp Descent/Death from Above depicting
sharp objects that appear to be falling but with their sharp ends pointing
upwards. I wandered if maybe it was the wrong way round like the two Rothkos
at the Tate Modern in London.
The gallery is holding various events related to the
exhibition including An Insight into
Subversive Design where four of the designers will talk about their pieces
(Saturday 30th November 2013, 1-4.30pm, tickets £20, £15
concessions).
The exhibition is open 10am-5pm Tue-Sun until 9th
March 2014 and is £6 for adults, £4 for concessions, free for children (aged
5-15) and £3 for Brighton and Hove residents.
For more information, visit the the gallery's site.
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