David Cotterrell
dal 9/11/2005 al 11/12/2005
Segnalato da
9/11/2005
David Cotterrell
Danielle Arnaud Contemporary Art, London
South Facing. The artist explores notions of heroism within the dystopic reality of the fast-emerging megalopolis that is contemporary Shanghai. Enormous population masses existing in kit-built clusters of 'vertical villages' characterise what Cotterrell calls cities without centres; characterless 'suburbs' found in the urban core.
South Facing
Tower blocks, traffic police and visions for a problematised Utopia are
presented in South Facing, David Cotterrell's second solo exhibition at
Danielle Arnaud contemporary art.
Cotterrell explores notions of heroism within the dystopic reality of the
fast-emerging megalopolis that is contemporary Shanghai. Enormous population
masses existing in kit-built clusters of 'vertical villages' characterise what
Cotterrell calls cities without centres; characterless 'suburbs' found in the
urban core.
In Shanghai, demand outstrips time - buildings and roads are thrown up at a
rate compatible with need rather than design. Within most new builds, there
exist segments in which 'filler' blocks culled from archives have been used.
Even Shanghai's exclusive gated communities, offering Utopic promises of
bespoke design are not immune to the lure of pre-existing massing layouts.
Cotterrell provides two views of this state of affairs: on one floor, he
produces an entire city of 'filler' blocks - 750 miniature towers, each
between 25 and 35 storeys and capable of housing 750 people each. Clustered in
50 block arrangements, Cotterrell's suburban 'Utopia' houses half a million
souls in search of a centre. The People's Republic of China dictates that
each new build be at least 15º South-facing, reflecting the Emperor's palaces,
in which private quarters faced south and the less-valued courtiers' rooms
faced either east or west. In the new China, everyone is given the opportunity
to live like a King.
The problematics of living in this dense structure are further explored in a
series of short video sketches Cotterrell filmed on the streets of Shanghai:
traffic conductors, lone policemen and traffic 'assistants' are individually
documented attempting to impose order on the masses of cars, trucks, buses,
bicycles and pedestrians of central Shanghai. These men, reminiscent of Gary
Cooper's Marshal Will Kane, single-handedly attempt to stem the seeping of
traffic along gargantuan stretches of 10-lane motorways. Ignored and avoided,
their attempts are comi-tragic - like a modern-day Sisyphus, each must do
battle with the masses and their machines to earn his daily bread.
David Cotterrell received an MA in Fine Art: Combined Media from Chelsea
College of Art and Design in 1997. He was selected for Beck's Futures 2002
and has been included in international exhibitions including Tel Aviv, Seoul,
Zurich, Bremen, Siena. He is currently participating in Guardami, an
international exhibition surveying video art, in Siena, and his latest public
art commission for the new Unicorn Theatre will be unveiled at the beginning
of December.
David Cotterrell would like to acknowledge the support of the Arts Council
England and British Council China Artist Links project, Sheffield Hallam
University and JsM Modelmakers in the research, development and realisation of
this exhibition.
Private view: Thursday 10 November 6 - 9 pm
Danielle Arnaud contemporary art
123 Kennington Road - London