Wednesday, May 26, 2010

John Savage: Secret Public


Collages, encapsulating British Punk aesthetic with music, politics and humor rolled into one made from the man how wrote 'England's Dreaming' and 'Teenage'. The show adhered to the spirit of DIY not only in the exhibition but the handmade prints and catalogs on offer too.

Here's the thing, the state of the art world presently is: bloated. Earlier this month Picasso's 'Nude, Green Leaves and Bust' was sold for $104.6 million at Christie's NY. This set a new world record for the most expensive piece of art work sold at an auction. The message sent out here is the art world is out of your reach, 104.6 million dollars out of your reach to be exact.

I LOVED the fact I could go to the John Savage show 'The Secret Public' (Boo-Hooray Gallery c/o Steven Kasher Gallery NY) where prints and limited edition catalogs (signed and unsigned varied price respectively) were on offer. Also, the work had two dimensions. It was aesthetically pleasing for people who prefer to take art on face value. The work was also thought provoking for those looking for it. Either way, whichever category you fit in - there was something for you to enjoy.

The point I'm trying to make is; the show was accessible to everyone. It didn't exclude a single person. If you wanted a piece of art work to take home you had the option without having to consider harvesting a kidney. It sent a clear and essential message art isn't just about how much money you can throw at a piece of work, or that formal education is required to appreciate it.

In short, this show is everything I admire in an exhibition and artist, my only grumble is that it closed much too soon!

Article from Dazed Digital with interview from John Savage:
http://www.dazeddigital.com/view/default.aspx?Category=22&ArticleID=7477&PageNum=1

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