Synopsis
Gavin Turk is a leading figure in British contemporary art. His 1991 degree show work
Cave, a blue ceramic plaque commemorating his occupancy of a studio, and
Pop, the waxwork figure of himself as
Sid Vicious, are among the iconic artworks of the 1990s. His "self-portrait" signatures and his finely crafted sculptures of everyday objects (such as cardboard boxes cast in bronze) bring the commonplace into an art space and challenge the viewer to engage in new ways. In 2003 he created the major sculpture
Her for an exhibition at the New Art Centre Sculpture Park and Gallery. This image of "Ariadne in a sleeping bag" draws together many of his key concerns, including the paintings of early modernism and the complexity of sculptural forms, and ideas of authorship, identity and authenticity. In this engaging film, he discusses Her and a wide range of his earlier work.
