George Orwell
“The enemies of intellectual liberty always try to present their case as a plea for discipline versus individualism. “George Orwell; ‘All Art is Propaganda: Critical Essays”
The freedom of the individual to think independently of state permissions is the founding principle of Orwell’s work.
Although he was not a visual artist and art criticism does not figure prominently in his work, his writing provides a continuing stimulus for artists of conscience and political resistance, and it was with this in mind that artist Glenn Ibbitson developed the idea of bringing together a wide range of talent to create an amorphous exhibition aimed at assessing the impact of Orwell in the context of the present day.
Originating as an online resource, ‘Room 103’ has developed into an ongoing travelling show. This Oriel Q exhibition follows on from previous exhibitions in Manchester, Leeds and the University of Oxford, where it provided a visual centrepiece for a symposium dedicated to discussion of the great man’s work.
Themes such as surveillance, state oppression, Imperial legacy, homelessness, people trafficking, character profiling techniques and individual liberty are all examined here by artists from across the United Kingdom, with a healthy contribution from Wales-based creatives working with both traditional and time-based media.
“It’s interesting that somehow the usual fashionable backlash against Orwell has never really gathered traction and his ideas have consistently appealed to successive generations, possibly because his writings are so far ranging. There is always some aspect of his work to stimulate the next generation of artists.” Glenn Ibbitson
Room 103 @Narberth will feature painting, print, photography, sculpture, artist’s books and time-based media from over twenty artists.
Lou Weldon: 1 minute and 44 seconds of Hate video
Tony Baker: photograph from his book, “Homage to Homage to Catalonia”
Nigel Pugh: Facial Recognition #1 Digital print