Issue 153

Review: February at the Glynn Vivian Gallery

26th February 2007

Laura Ford's Beast made for an unsettling entrance to the gallery. The hunched figure, unnerving in its posture, reminds the viewer of a figure in an executioner's hood, or a broken victim of the coffee trade, with its branded Hessian shell. Installed, along with two drawings, until the 15 April, it is compelling and worth visiting the gallery just to see it.

Russell Maggs' Employee of the Month was an intriguing collection with humorous resonance for anyone who has ever worked amongst the world of red tape, paperwork and targets.

Mimicking noticeboards from Maggs' fictional company RAP, the exhibition is witty, but lacks the strange, dislocating effect of the other two displays. Employee of the Month is showing until the 15 April.

Richard Billingham's Zoo, installed until 22 April is a vivid, horrific collection of footage from zoos, portraying the repetitive, lacklustre actions of captive animals. The looped film recreates the monotony of captivity and the disturbingly large feed of a pacing elephant creates a fitting sense of claustrophobia. When viewed within the context of Billingham's utterly beautiful photography of his council estate family, the parallels of confinement and futility are instantly apparent.

Billingham gives an illustrated talk at 1pm on Friday March 9. Maggs will be in conversation with Craig Wood at 1pm on Friday March 23.

Holly Thomas