(Things we're doing and stuff we like)
Beck’s Futures was established in 2000 as an annual exhibition and art award to provide a platform and support for the work of UK-based artists. This year thirteen artists have been shortlisted and the breadth of talent, quirkiness and thought-provoking installations is captivating.
Bedwyr Williams’ ‘Walk a Mile in my Shoes’ invites you to examine his displayed shoes with luggage tags and anecdotes so you can share his childhood humiliation and struggle to find size 13 footwear. Matt Stockes’ short film, ‘Long After Tonight’, delves into the tradition of frequent Northern Soul events held during the 1970s. The dancers’ feverish animation unified with the unusual setting of St Salvador’s Church in Dundee lends the film its substance and quality. By printing the words of James Joyce’s Ulysses alphabetically and then stacking identical volumes around the room, Simon Popper creates both a Minimalist sculpture as well as a reinterpreting a iconic piece of literature.
The exhibition is spread over the beautifully light and airy ICA building on the Mall. Their café is the perfect place to sit back and absorb what you’ve just seen or to meet friends.
The exhibition is on at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) until 14th May