STUCK is a selection of sound works and collages by Jeremy Deadman, on display in the foyer exhibition space at The Economist Tower.
Deadman’s practice has involved imbuing familiar ‘everyday’ objects with both comic and sinister characteristics by hiding audio equipment inside them that emit inventive and surprising sounds, made by the artist himself. These have included Flayed (2000), a typical bland office clock from which emanates sharp yelps of pain in time to the relentless red second hand; and Anomaly(1998), a gagged garden gnome which emits the sound of a muffled voice
imploring, “I don’t want to be a gnome.” Deadman will be showing two such sound pieces: Rat Race (2000), and You will be Successful (1999).
Alongside these Deadman will also be exhibiting a selection of collages fabricated from self-adhesive coloured vinyl. These postcard-sized works depict various symbolic figurative scenes that appear, when viewed individually, or en masse, to tell stories through their rich language of imagery. The tiny detailed elements set against flat coloured backgrounds invite intimate inspection, often combining a beguiling edginess with playful simplicity, similar to the sound objects.
Deadman lives and works in London and has exhibited widely in London, including Geometers (2002) at Nylon,Plinth (2002) at The Trade Apartment, Ouch! (solo) (2000) at Five Years and These Epic Islands (2000) at Vilma Gold. He has also exhibited internationally, including Sentient Cog (2002) at 5th, Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Let’s Get to Work (2001) at Susquehanna Art Museum in Pennsylvania, and The Toy Show (2000) at Nikolai Fine Art, New York.