The Temple is an exhibition currently on show in the Monster Truck gallery, under the black church print studio in Temple Bar (http://monstertruck.ie). It is a joint venture by three Irish artists; Brian Coldrick, James Kirwan and Christian Reeves.
As the review says: “Taking note of the cast of characters and situations to be found in the heaving mass of subcultures, pilgrims and image worship at the swirling center of the modern city, the three artists have created a host of paintings, drawings and 3D work which pokes an eye at the robes, sacrifices and symbols of those who bow down at the temple of the city. Penitent drunks, merciless hen nights, iconic goths, preachy chuggers, awestruck tourists all weave their way in and out of the early houses, late bars, hipster stores and head shops that make up the city’s sanctuaries and apses.”
Never before has the frenzied religiosity of Dublin binge-culture been laid bare so powerfully. Employing a mish-mash of comic-book imagery, collage and printed clichés, the artists manage to capture the spirit of our city by night. Two pieces in particular caught my eye. To the right, just as you come in the door, there is a triptych that perfectly conjures up the aura of heady devotion to unalloyed hedonism that, one could argue, characterizes our culture more than anything else. In the middle of the exhibition is a totem pole replete with images that communicate the numinous magnetism alcohol seems to exert on the Irish psyche. All in all, the viewer is offered a profound, and often shocking insight into the bleary, kaleidoscopic world of contemporary paganism. It is nothing less than a manic, cartoon depiction of the spirit of the age. Well worth a look.
The Temple is on show until July 28th.
No comments:
Post a Comment