“…some twelve billion years ago the gods created the universe, including the [...] dinosaurs and such like, but after a while found these huge creatures rather tedious [...] Turning from gigantism to miniaturism, the gods then created little creatures on earth, including humans...” Shapiro & Bennett, The Politics of Moralizing, 2002. In turn, Slinkachu, the arch miniaturist, has placed his 1:87 scale installations in a city that is, from the perspective of the Little People, a Concrete Ocean. Or is it also a concrete ocean from our perspective? We city-dwellers often feel that sense of being overwhelmed by the urban environment, we empathise with the vulnerability of the Little People – not least as they are abandoned by their maker either to be trodden underfoot by a careless passer-by or to startle a more attentive one. We may laugh at their barely significant perspective on life, their diminutive world view, but perhaps also reflect that ours is equally narrow and our lives are just as insignificant. Looking at these photographically recorded installations one has the impression of zooming in and zooming out. One feels close to the drama and yet also distanced from it. For Concrete Ocean, Slinkachu has reversed his usual process: he has seemingly uprooted paving stones and tarmac and brought them into the gallery. Tiny figures populate these urban islands, sometimes proudly, sometimes forlornly, but all the while oblivious that the boundaries of their world are so limited. Oblivious that they will float forever on the concrete ocean that is their (and our) home.
Swashbuckling
5
Fantastic Voyage
7
Bones
9
Boys’ Own Adventures
11
Displeasure Beach
13
Sugar High
15
Downpour
17
One Day Son
19
Riot
21
The Last Resort
23
Ups and Downs
25
Flotsam
27
Animals
29
Dying Embers
31
Stranger Danger
33
House of God (Application for planning permission - Ref: 11-0282-D)
35
Side Orders
37
Ups and Downs
39
Sustainable Living
41
They're Not Pets, Susan
43
It's All Fun And Games
45
Natives
49
Various formats: C-type print (53 x 80 cm) (80 x 120 cm) Aluminium (120 x 180 cm) Light boxes (80 x 120 cm) C-type print on metallic paper (53 x 80 cm)
Pages 4-5
Pages 6-7
Pages 8-9
Pages 10-11
Pages 12-13
Pages 14-15
Swashbuckling Monument area, London 2010
Fantastic Voyage Acton, London 2011
Bones Angel area, London 2011
Boys’ Own Adventures Acton, London 2011
Displeasure Beach Woolwich, London 2011
Sugar High Kings Cross, London 2011
Pages 16-17
Pages 18-19
Pages 20-21
Pages 22-23
Pages 24-25
Pages 26-27
Downpour London Bridge, London 2010
One Day Son Southmere Lake, London 2011
Riot Westminster, London 2011
The Last Resort Wandsworth, London 2010
Ups and Downs Shoreditch, London 2010
Flotsam Amstel River, Amsterdam 2009
Pages 28-29
Pages 30-31
Pages 32-33
Animals Wandsworth, London 2011
Dying Embers Shepherds Bush, London 2011
Stranger Danger Rotherhide, London 2011
Pages 34-35
Pages 36-37
Pages 38-39
Pages 40-41
House of God (Application for planning permission - Ref: 11/0282-D) Mixed media 96 x 59.5 x 59.5 cm 2011
Side Orders Mixed media 27 x 34 x 44.7 cm 2011
Ups and Downs Mixed media 22 x 20 x 15 cm 2011
Sustainable Living Mixed media 29 x 45 x 45 cm 2011
Pages 42-43
Pages 44-47
Pages 48-49
They're Not Pets, Susan Mixed media 15 x 20 x 15 cm 2011
It's All Fun And Games Mixed media 215 x 28 x 34 cm 2011
Natives Mixed media 44 x 60 x 23 cm 2011
“One day, when a terrorist or our love of fossil fuel brings down the Thames Barrier, all this concrete will be under the ocean. The shopping centres and strip clubs will be frequented by the fishes and barnacles will infest our Playstations. The empty ocean will stretch to the horizon and the endless concrete vistas of the city will be lost in the depths. “Help us!” we’ll scream as we splash about on the surface, “We’re missing Eastenders!” And the TV aerials will startle us as they brush against our feet in the depths below”. Slinkachu
The Andipa Gallery Ltd 162 Walton Street London SW3 2JL England T +44 (0)20 7589 2371 F +44 (0)20 7225 0305 art@andipa.com www.andipa.com ISBN 978 0 9568292 0 7 Design by Slinkachu and Goodwill Branding www.goodwillbranding.com Printed by Screaming Colour
A N D I PA C O N T E M P O R A R Y