Exhibition: Jeremy Deller – English Magic at DUCTAC
Jeremy Deller - Still from the film English Magic, 2013, Courtesy the Artist
The art season in Dubai is back in full gear this month. The exhibition I am most excited about is Jeremy Deller's English Magic at DUCTAC, opening on Wednesday, 10th September and will run till Sunday, 21st September 2014.
Jeremy Deller represented Great Britain at the 2013 Venice Biennale and the artwork on show at DUCTAC formed part of the exhibition in Venice. The Great Britain pavilion was my favourite at the Venice Biennale, so I am extremely happy some of the work from English Magic will come to Dubai.
The exhibition reflects the roots of much of Deller's work, focusing on British society - its people, icons, myths, folklore and its cultural and political history. He weaves together high and low, popular and rarefied to create unique and thought provoking work.
English Magic addresses events from the past, present and an imagined future. Deller frames these instances in a way that is contemporary but also true to the original subject, weaving a narrative that is almost psychedelic; hovering delicately between fact and fiction, real and imagined. (via jeremydeller.org)
The exhibition will include the film English Magic that was central to the British Pavilion exhibition, plus a making-of documentary and a short film from Vinyl Factory about how Deller put together the music that runs as a thread through the English Magic project.
The film English Magic features "visual and thematic elements that reflect Deller's interest in the diverse nature of British society and its broad cultural, socio-political and economic history." It includes steel drum versions of Vaughan Williams 'Symphony in D minor', David Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' and A Guy Called Gerald's 'Voodoo Ray' performed by the Melodians Steel Orchestra.
The film is both contemptous and humourous, just like the rest of the exhibition. I had a grin from ear to ear just because of the music. Here, have a listen.
The following are photos I took of English Magic last year at the Venice Biennale. I hope some of this work will be exhibited at DUCTAC. Dubai, don't miss this.
Event details
Date: Opening, Wednesday, 10th September at 7pm. Exhibition will run till Sunday, 21st September 2014. 9am-10pm (Fridays 2pm-10pm)
Venue: The Gallery of Light, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
Free entry.