‘ART IN THE AGE OF NOW’: FULHAM ART EXHIBITION

 

On the 15th of June, 2021, I visited the Fulham art exhibition called ‘Art in the Age of Now’ in London, curated by Ben Moore, which was held between 20 May to 20 June in the old abandoned Fulham Town Hall, which is now being re-developed into a hotel: https://fulhamtownhall.com/

Before redevelopment artists took over the building, giving them a chance to express their art in full rooms. This site talks more about the exhibition, mentions other artists who took part, and shows Ben Moore’s own art: https://inspiringcity.com/2021/04/30/art-in-the-age-of-now-at-fulham-town-hall/

With free entry, it was a great opportunity to experience the world of modern art through the lens of many different artists and their unique expressions of life and society.

One of my favourite art pieces from the Fulham exhibition, titled ‘Fear and Salvation’:

”I considered the idea that the operating theatre also stages brutal and violent scenes, yet one may enter with a sense of hope that you will emerge healed. Surgeons and anaesthetics play real life gods, angelic nurses and deacon doctors bring salvation to this sterile stage.” -Thomas Wright.

This piece, created by Thomas D. Wright, particularly stood out to me. The idea of doctors and surgeons being ‘real life gods’ and ‘bringing salvation’ is a fascinating one – whilst certain people may rely purely on religion to ‘save them’ in times of illness, the true, physical ‘saviours’ are the doctors and the health care system. I really liked the idea that while the image of surgery may look gory and brutal, the final result is a person who ‘[emerges] healed’.

 

Another art piece I liked:

I really enjoyed the art piece called ‘BRAVE NEW NORMAL’ by artists Spore and Switch.

”The installation depicts an allegorical narrative developed from our ongoing dialogue in response to the pandemic. Exploring themes of authority, conformity, and self-authorship, we invite viewers to make their own conclusions about truth and delusion.”

Throughout the room, there is art which relates to the theme of surveillance. There several CCTV cameras seen in the corners of the room. This piece of art was created during the Coronavirus lockdown, so it shows that because of the strict lockdown rules, people became hyper-alert towards each other, making sure no one was breaking any rules. The cameras suggest that the government (the authority) was closely watching everyone during lockdown to ensure conformity.

Upon entry into the room, one of the first few things I noticed was the mannequin. That immediately created a darker atmosphere to the room. The ominous sounds which played non-stop (such as sirens) in the background added to the ambience. The sound and the art on the walls created a very dystopic feel to the room, which may have echoed the views of many during the pandemic: fear and uncertainty about the future.

Showing dates of this exhibition, other exhibitions nearby and their dates: https://www.artrabbit.com/events/art-in-the-age-of-now