A small but most interesting exhibition. The artist has focused on Home Defence School, a nature-oriented, group experience-based education for 10 to 18 year-olds.
It’s an interesting idea, although I always feel somewhat….doubtful…about military-based camps/experiences for the young and wonder if there is an agenda. What was interesting here was that as far as the exhibition was concerned there did not seem to be a clear agenda and so I wondered whether the artist was merely depicting/recording, or commenting (implicitly or explicitly) or judging. Or one/some/all/none?
With the ‘officers’ being young people as well, it was redolent of the Children’s Railway experience - itself a throwback/continuation of Communist-era but this, according to the ‘blurb’ provided was something new
For me there were three outstanding prints; the finest being an almost abstract one of a youth wrapped in a bright green padded (?) material but who was perfectly placed in a rural setting the the trees and shrubs matching the material - almost an abstract piece I felt. The second one was of a group of youths with their faces obscured by folded material. I wondered if this was in any way an allusion to the hooding of detainees in Guantanamo Bay - and also recalling the The Lovers by Magritte.
The last one I enjoyed was a simple one of a camouflaged head lying back in water - and this only because it recalled a still from Apocalypse Now.
Super evening -and having Pink champagne to drink was a considerable cut above the average standard of art gallery wines for opening nights!
NB: I have not given a link to the gallery website as at the time of writing, this exhibition was not yet featured.