Last year saw Bowieart launch the Window Pain Project, a six-month series of exhibitions in a window on one of the capitals busiest streets in East London, now in the core of another of London’s most animated districts comes the first of this year’s Window Projects.
In the depths of Piccadilly Circus lies its tube station, a twelve-exit monster of a station with each exit leading to the heart of tourist London, a shopping Mecca and fast food heaven overshadowed by the largest and most expensive advertising hoardings in the UK. Back below ground in the belly of Piccadilly is an instant access route to the largest UK record store, Tower Records. It is here, at this entrance to the store that you will find Graham Hudson’s invasion of a window space usually used for retail promotion.
Created specifically for the space Pusher presents us with a bank of screens in a style familiar to those on a set of Top of the Pops. Hudson’s video installation reconstructs the familiar image of arcades bygone game the pusher-machine. Where coins are swallowed up by a machine that cranks back and forth promising to reward us with more; the epitome of loss and low aspiration. The odds look good, it could be you, but reality keeps the pounds in the hands of those that control the game. The promised coins shine and shimmer within a hypnotic loop, and like the above ground imagery that soars around Eros, it allures you into a love affair with all that dazzles, the quick-fix, low-think materiality of contemporary society. One is left with the reality of broken promises, and even broker pockets.
The artist has also been at work within the store with a series of audio interventions. Throughout a regular day the latest chart toppers can be heard through the store, but for the duration of Hudson’s exhibition this output will be interrupted at certain points in the day. At first such interventions may appear to be in keeping with the clichéd in-store DJ selling new trends and goods. However on closer inspection the interventions mimic the nonsensical dialogue of broadcast advertising’s one-liners and outrageous product claims. The output also includes recordings claiming to be seized by hidden store microphones, featuring couples arguing in the aisles, and non-couples carrying on like it is a singles night in the store. Check out the following link for an example of one of the artists Advotainmants.
Bowieart.com is a site that utilises the net to provide information and exposure to talented artists at the most important time in their careers.
Pusher opens 12 February and runs till 13 March 2002
Tower Records, 1 Piccadilly, London, W1
For images and further information on the Window Project or Bowieart contact Beth Mears
+44 (0) 20 7352 4976
beth@kcfa.ftech.co.uk
www.bowieart.com