Who? Andy Warhol, Peter Blake, Gavin Turk, James Unsworth and Russell Young.
What? Diamonds are Forever is an exhibition celebrating the cult status of pop art through silkscreen media pieces that are illuminated by diamond dust. Each artist has produced works that capture the essence of recent history, commenting, as they do, on the cult of celebrity.
Why? The exhibition follows a chronology of pop art, interlinking perfectly between the artist’s projects. One of Britain’s leading pop figures, Peter Blake, is accompanied by his American contemporary Andy Warhol — whose Myths Series has been chosen to be displayed in the gallery. His collection adds festive cheer, with this silkscreen Father Christmas. Diamonds are used elsewhere in the show to provide light where there is darkness, with James Unsworth finding beauty in the macabre through his images of iconic destruction and the atomic bomb. Meanwhile, Gavin Turk follows Warhol’s screen print legacy, yet twists the formula, replacing the faces of cultural icons with his own.
Where? Diamonds are Forever at Scream Gallery, London until 9 January 2011
Text by Felicity Shaw
