Richard Hambleton @ The Old Dairy

                 

This gallery was recommended in Shortlist, didn't even realise they had an 'Arts' section (also this magazine is free at college!) so it was nice surprise to go somewhere that turned out to be worth while. The gallery itself was quite well set back off Wakefield Street, however as a venue it really worked as a space, one vast room with work well displayed. Having never heard of Richard Hambleton prior to the review in Shortlist I was rather surprised at his background and length of career, and slightly by his sponsor GIORGIO ARMANI. His work was far more meaning full than your standard graffiti art, in fact it incorporated quite a few aspects of last weeks lecture, the idea of relational aesthetic art (basically art which the audience feel involved in or able to relate and empathise with). Therefore Hambleton's work forces the viewer to be engaged by creating a sense of mystery as to who or what his street art represents.
The show most definately had similarities with the infamous Banksy's street art, but after reading the short introduction to the exhibtion I reaised that Hambletons work had a far more social/political message. In his earlier seies of street works, Image Mass Murder, 'the artist painted 620 'murder victims' - chalk outlines imitating thos drawn around dead bodies at a crime scene'. To ensure the greatest media attention to made sure all of his pieces were placed in areas which were 'considered to have low crime levels' i.e wealthy, upmarket neighbourhoods. In doing so he was able to 'generate a sense of distrust in ploice crime statistics' and an uneasiness amongst all social backgrounds.
Overall I enjoyed his work possibly even more so due to the fact this isn't usually my 'style' of art, 7/10