WAA.070

David Godbold, Kay Roberts, John Wood, and Marysia Lewandowska; Actualities, Limehouse, London; 1/2/88

This exhibition of works by David Godbold and John Wood is entitled 'Endangered', after an eighteen-month collaboration with curator Kay Roberts. Here, they address the expectation of a subject and context for their artwork. The artists aim to equally attract and repel visitors to the exhibition, implying a disregard toward the usual policy of the gallery to engage the viewer.

Does the title ironically refer to the politics of this socially engaged trend? What is the benefit and difficulty of making work that addresses non-art audiences? Does the context define the audience? This exhibition is in a gallery, and the artwork is described by the artist as vulgar and cheap. Perhaps it is not what one would expect to find in a gallery.

The work in the exhibition has a warmth and soft focus which suggests an intangibility; perhaps a knowing satire. Does this relate to the fantasy of the artist never really engaging with the reality of a social context? Lewandowska considers the proliferation of artists aiming to directly engage with the social context of the gallery too prescriptive a strategy, whereas curator Kay Roberts continues to find urgency in engaging in the geographical milieu around the gallery.


Keywords


Accession No. WAA.070
Artist: David Godbold, Kay Roberts, John Wood, and Marysia Lewandowska
Container annotation: Actualities
Place/Year: Actualities, Limehouse, London 1/2/88
Type: Round table discussion
Technical aspects: Clear sound
Duration: 01:27:22
Tape capacity: 90'
Tape brand: TDK