Artlyst Photo Special: Jimmy Cauty In Resistance Is Fertile, OVADA

Jimmy Cauty

OVADA Oxford presents the exhibition Resistance is Fertile – the show is an exploration of protest and the art that it engenders. The exhibition brings together leading photographers, poets and protest artists who have highlighted key social movements. The exhibition includes the Miners’ strike, environmental campaigns, Poll Tax demos and land rights.

The exhibition not only examines how the act of protest inspires creativity but also looks at the plethora of visual patterns created by mass protest, and includes artist Jimmy Cauty’s large installation of new 1.87 scale models from his on-going series of works, ‘Riot in a Jam Jar’. Cauty is best known as one half of The KLF; as co-founder of The Orb – and as part of the K Foundation – when in 1994 the artist burnt one million pounds.

Cauty stated “These ‘small world re-enactments’ depict past and future riots, reality blurred, all within a jam jar. The jam jar represents containment, violent disturbances served up in manageable doses like news bulletins; complex situations reduced to mantle piece ornaments.”

Resistance is Fertile also includes work by some of the leading exponents of protest photography; including Tony Sleep‘s in depth documentation of Frestonia – the name adopted by the residents and squatters of Freston Road, London, when they attempted to secede from the UK in 1977.

Other contributing artists in Resistance is Fertile include: Jamie Reid, Billy Childish, Kate Evans, Emily Johns, Stig, David Hoffman, Tony Sleep, Jess Hurd, Alan Lodge, Antonio Olmos, Janine Wiedel, Andrew Testa, Zoe Broughton, Jason N. Parkinson, Gary Trotter, Nigel Dickinson, Martin Mayer, David Mansell and John Harris – Report Digital.

In addition, films, protest archive, workshops, performances and talks from leading practitioners will create a vibrant festival feel and bring together many groups with a forum for discussion.

Images: Jimmy Cauty ‘Riot In A Jam Jar’ OVADA installation, 2015. P A Black © Artlyst 2015

Resistance is Fertile – OVADA (Oxford Visual Arts Development Agency) – until 28 June 2015

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