Tom Hunter: Life and Death in Hackney

(Friday) (Sunday)

Overview: This installation features five photographs by British artist Tom Hunter from the series Life and Death in Hackney, in which he explores the cultural resonances of iconic Victorian paintings by reworking their compositions in a contemporary setting. Hackney, where the artist lives in northeast London, was historically a working-class neighborhood before gentrifying in recent years. In the 1990s, raves and other underground gatherings were staged in its abandoned warehouses. Hunter captures the area’s decay and wildness, seen in the derelict buildings, overgrown weeds and wildflowers, and scenes that hint at the district’s nightlife.

In each photograph, Hunter chooses a poignant Victorian precedent and translates its melancholic mood to the post-industrial landscape of his neighborhood, using local inhabitants as his models. Like the Pre-Raphaelite painters who came before, Hunter also focuses on the marginal and disempowered. By adding the weight of historical allusion to his compositions, Hunter imparts a dignity to his often overlooked subjects, transforming the disaffected youth of contemporary London into his heroes and heroines.Passes: Admission is always free and passes are not requiredOrganization: Organized by National Gallery of Art, Washington

National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Avenue NW
DC 20565 Washington DC
United states
Array
http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/exhibitions/2016/tom-...

Tags

Art, Gallery, London,

Selection of further exhibitions in: United states

24.01.3086 - 24.03.3086
Mexican and Latino Art Museum | San Francisco | In Association With The Smithsonian Institution - Th
Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd., Building D
San Francisco

Read more >>










Tom Hunter: Life and Death in Hackney National Gallery of Art Main address: National Gallery of Art 4th and Constitution Avenue NW DC 20565 Washington DC, United states National Gallery of Art 4th and Constitution Avenue NW DC 20565 Washington DC, United states Overview: This installation features five photographs by British artist Tom Hunter from the series Life and Death in Hackney, in which he explores the cultural resonances of iconic Victorian paintings by reworking their compositions in a contemporary setting. Hackney, where the artist lives in northeast London, was historically a working-class neighborhood before gentrifying in recent years. In the 1990s, raves and other underground gatherings were staged in its abandoned warehouses. Hunter captures the area’s decay and wildness, seen in the derelict buildings, overgrown weeds and wildflowers, and scenes that hint at the district’s nightlife.

In each photograph, Hunter chooses a poignant Victorian precedent and translates its melancholic mood to the post-industrial landscape of his neighborhood, using local inhabitants as his models. Like the Pre-Raphaelite painters who came before, Hunter also focuses on the marginal and disempowered. By adding the weight of historical allusion to his compositions, Hunter imparts a dignity to his often overlooked subjects, transforming the disaffected youth of contemporary London into his heroes and heroines.Passes: Admission is always free and passes are not requiredOrganization: Organized by National Gallery of Art, Washington
Book tickets