26 minutes
October 2003
R0 (PAL), SD mp4
5060033835296

Gavin Turk

Gavin Turk is a leading figure in British contemporary art. His 1991 degree show work Cave, a blue ceramic plaque commemorating his occupancy of a studio, and Pop, the waxwork figure of himself as Sid Vicious, are among the iconic artworks of the 1990s. His “self-portrait” signatures and his finely crafted sculptures of everyday objects (such as cardboard boxes cast in bronze) bring the commonplace into an art space and challenge the viewer to engage in new ways.

In 2003 he created the major sculpture Her for an exhibition at the New Art Centre Sculpture Park and Gallery. This image of “Ariadne in a sleeping bag” draws together many of his key concerns, including the paintings of early modernism and the complexity of sculptural forms, and ideas of authorship, identity and authenticity. In this engaging film, he discusses Her and a wide range of his earlier work.

theEYE is an excellent introduction to contemporary artists and their works and provides an ideal resource for a wide range of audiences, including galleries, museums and colleges, as well as individual art-lover.