Saturday 13 March 2010

Rivington Place – Progress Reports: art in an era of diversity

January 28 – March 13 2010

Rating: 2 out of 5

http://www.rivingtonplace.org/

Of all the topics that should produce some fantastic art, both beautiful and challenging, laden with meaning and with passion, the subject of diversity sadly fails to resonate. The scene is set for some amazing work – London (one of the most diverse cities in the world), the east end (particularly known for its diversity and creative flair), the Rivington Place (a venue which is at the heart of creative London) and those brightly coloured works gracing the windows shouting for the passerby to come inside. Unfortunately, this exhibition is bitterly disappointing.

Completely overwhelmed by merely adequate and satisfactory work, the show completely lacks any originality, voice, or aesthetic flair. There is some clever stuff – music that stutters both in an auditory way and visually through scribbles on sheet music. There are also some attempts at some meaning, which are either too subtle or too blunt to really make any sort of impact.

Indeed the saving grace of this exhibition is the fascinating video art on the second floor. Selected by Karen Alexander, some of the videos in the Dreams Deferred series include some fascinating video that examine the perceptions, stereotypes, and misconceptions perpetuated by mass media and the film industry. It’s scary and sad to see the racism, whether overt or subtle, in the portrayals of black people in films. Sadly, the rest of the show is not nearly as insightful or engaging.

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