Polytechnic

9 September to 7 November 2010

John Adams, Ian Bourn, Ian Breakwell, Marc Camille Chaimowicz, David Critchley, Catherine Elwes, Roberta Graham, Steve Hawley, Susan Hiller, Stuart Marshall, Cordelia Swann and Graham Young

‘Polytechnic’ is an exhibition of video, installation and tape/slide works made between the late seventies and early eighties by a number of artists in the UK who were developing new relationships between ‘experimental’ media and ideas of narrative. The complex and hybrid works in the exhibition talk about autobiography, television, diaries, lost histories, sexuality, the communist bloc, popular culture, fictions, soap operas and murder.

Formal and structuralist work defined much experimental practice of the period. ‘Polytechnic’ explores how some artists developed new approaches to engage with personal concerns, and to reflect the social and political worlds in which they lived. Many of these artists were directly informed by contemporary debates in left politics, gay politics and feminism, and were engaging with a culture undergoing a profound change marked by the emergence of Thatcherism.

‘Polytechnic’ has a particular emphasis on video work. As well as the emergence of the domestic video recorder, the period covered by the exhibition saw artists gaining increasing access to video cameras and recording decks. This engagement with technology was encouraged through the development of media departments in art schools and polytechnics, where many of the artists studied and taught.

‘Polytechnic’ is curated by Richard Grayson, an artist, curator and writer based in London. He was a founder member of The Basement Group, a video and live performance, production and exhibition space in Newcastle (1979–84), and curator of the 2002 Sydney Biennale. He is represented by Matt’s Gallery, London.

Selected texts

Embroiled
by Richard Grayson

Introducing the works
by Richard Grayson

Events

Richard Grayson, Benjamin Cook, Susan Hiller and Catherine Elwes in conversation
Wednesday 6 October 2010

Richard Grayson curator's tour of the exhibition
Sunday 10 October 2010

A programme of screenings and a performance
Wednesday 27 October 2010

Stuart Marshall
The Love Show (parts 1–3), 1980
U-matic transferred to DVD
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the estate of Stuart Marshall and LUX, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Graham Young
Accidents In The Home, 1984
U-matic transferred to DVD
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the artist
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Susan Hiller
Monument (Colonial Version), 1980-1
Installation: 41 colour photographs, park bench, soundtrack (14 minutes)
Leeds Museums and Galleries (Leeds Art Gallery)

Ian Breakwell
1974 Diary, 1974
148 of 269 plates; photographs and collage; each 29 × 21 cm
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Copyright the estate of Ian Breakwell, courtesy Anthony Reynolds Gallery, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Cordelia Swann
Mysteries of Berlin, 1979–82
Tape/slide installation
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy of Cordelia Swann and LUX, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Roberta Graham
Campo Santo, 1981
Installation: mixed media, 4 channel sound
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the artist
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

David Critchley
Pieces I Never Did, 1979
U-matic transferred to DVD; 3 monitors
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the artist
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

John Adams
Sensible Shoes, 1983
U-matic and Super 8 film transferred to DVD
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the artist
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Catherine Elwes
Kensington Gore, 1981
U-matic transferred to DVD
Courtesy the artist and LUX, London

Catherine Elwes
Kensington Gore, 1981
U-matic transferred to DVD
Courtesy the artist and LUX, London

Steve Hawley
We Have Fun Drawing Conclusions, 1981
U-matic transferred to DVD
Courtesy the artist

Exhibition view, Raven Row
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Steve Hawley
We Have Fun Drawing Conclusions, 1981
U-matic transferred to DVD
Courtesy the artist

Marc Camille Chaimowicz
Here and There, 1978
Installation: boards, emulsion paint, photographs, text
Exhibition view, Raven Row
Courtesy the artist and Cabinet, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Marc Camille Chaimowicz
Partial Views of an Interior, 1978
U-matic transferred to DVD
Camera: Mick Hartney
Seating for Raven Row (prototype) 2010
Courtesy the artist and Cabinet, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Ian Bourn
Lenny's Documentary, 1978
½” Reel-to-Reel transferred to DVD
Installation for Raven Row 2010
Courtesy the artist and LUX, London
Photograph by Marcus J. Leith

Ian Bourn
Lenny's Documentary, 1978
½” Reel-to-Reel transferred to DVD
Courtesy the artist and LUX, London