Rebuilding Beirut with Pride

My recent works have been exploring arcadian visions, pastoral ideals yet with a dystopian undertone. These works consist of old fruit picking ladders, flagons and shotguns; all things I associate with ‘the olden days’ of Rural Britain, along with associated traditions. I am trying to explore why I feel so patriotic, how traditions are continued and question what it all means today.

It came from my observations of British society. The huge contradictions and loopholes of crap spoken in Britain whether it is on the news or in the pub, these things I find pleasure in and admit I am a part of. Current political topics such as Brexit, immigration etc all feed into the discussion; I can’t help but look for the humour in the conflictions. It is not about disliking anyone for it, instead accepting other’s opinions and making work about the discrepancies in all theories. For instance, moaning about immigrant workers, however recently British farmers have struggled to find workers due to Covid-19. I can’t imagine there is as many Brits currently out of work queuing up to do a 12hr shift picking fruit for minimum wage. Suppose I’m ignorant now. 

I use the image of the scorpion, The Sheppey Scorpion to be exact, as a metaphor for this. The Sheppey Scorpion came to England from Italy, through fruit deliveries, then found refuge in the sea walls of Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey. Throughout my work the scorpion can be found, depicting the connection of immigration and the scorpion establishing a home or identity within Britain. 

I’m guilty of fantasizing British Countryside living, lush and pure; yet there is also a feeling of lawless freedom. This harking to the past with rose tinted spectacles is something everyone can indulge in.

Education: BA Illustration, Camberwell College of Arts and BTEC Diploma, University of Creative Arts. Past Exhibitions: Arcadia, Bold Tendencies, London 2021, Nourishment ii, VO Curations, London 2020, La Totale 2020, Boissy-le-Chatel, France 2020, A Land of Incomparable Beauty, Collective Ending, London, 2020. Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer 2020, BrookeBennington, Fulmer 2020, The Garden of England, Steve Turner, Los Angeles 2020 (solo), Dieu To Old England, The Kids Are Alright, Choi and Lager, Cologne 2019, Super Zoom , curated by Ferdinand Gros, Paris 2019, Art Dusseldorf, Steve Turner, Dusseldorf 2019, Sunday Art Fair, Steve Turner, London 2019, Absinthe.s3 Spit and Sawdust, London. 2019, Shooting Starlings, VO Curations and Archive 18-20, Paris 2019 (solo), Power of Ten. Steve Turner Gallery, Los Angeles 2019

@jessercpollock