Is art and intoxication inextricably linked? Look at the history of art and our obsession with intoxication goes back centuries. Artists have a long and complicated history with substances stretching into the present day; undeniably, most events in the art world are still instilled with alcohol, a bucket of beer or a glass of cheap champagne omnipresent. But this exhibition will delve deeper than the surface level, seeking to cast a critical yet deferential eye on the way in which intoxication has influenced the artists in this exhibition; whilst rejecting the stereotype surrounding the self-destructive artist.
The starting point for the exhibition was certainly a fascination with our relationship with alcohol, but this expanded into hedonism, excess and the self-destructive nature of humankind. We know alcohol is bad for us, but we continue to drink it; we know drugs are bad for us, but we continue to take them; we know smoking is bad for us, but we continue to do it. Humans have an innate tendency towards self-destruction. When you have meaning in your life you feel euphoric and intoxication is a short cut to this euphoria, in turn creating a substitute for meaning. So, the question is, are we using intoxication to create artificial meaning in our lives? Or does intoxication enable us to discover our true purpose?
ARTISTS:
Dale Adcock, James Cabaniuk, Charlie Chesterman, David Cooper,
Vanessa Garwood, Campbell McConnell, Jonny Green, Benjamin Orlow,
Lee Johnson, George Richardson, Molly Martin, Faye Rita Robinson,
Katie Surridge, Ross Taylor, Dominic Watson, Faye Eleanor Woods
| Duration | 09 November 2023 - 09 December 2023 |
| Times | Friday -Saturday 1PM-5PM |
| Cost | Free |
| Venue | OHSH Projects |
| Address | 106 New Oxford Street, London, WC1A 1HB, , |
| Contact | 07702317981 / info@ohshprojects.com / www.ohshprojects.com |