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Time for tea? - Ideas of Britishness explored
in new Hiscox exhibition
"Dewlap" by Henry Hudson, a new exhibition at Hiscox
Art Projects
Exhibition dates: 22 February - 20 April
London, UK: Tea-stained canvases and biro drawings of roguish characters
make up Henry Hudson's first solo exhibition at Hiscox Art Projects. Influenced
by the satirical cartoons of George Cruikshank and Hogarth and contemporary
artists including Paul McCarthy, Hudson avoids direct political commentary,
and instead his tragi-comic subjects investigate class, social conventions
and what it means to be British. Monty Python, Blackadder
and The Young Ones inform Hudson's wry approach and his love of
the ridiculous. The images are sourced from a range of places and publications
including pub walls, old books, Farmers' Weekly and Country Life, and
several appear to have been lifted from a nightmarish version of Beatrix
Potter's classic children's books.
Other works are made of plasticine made to appear as oil paintings. Traditionally
a children's plaything, plasticine has innocent connotations which Hudson's
subject matter undercuts with its emphasis on adult, sometimes sexual
subject matter. The plasticine paintings have their roots in a range of
20th century German painters including Max Beckmann, Georg Baselitz and
Martin Kippenberger.
The title of the exhibition "Dewlap" refers to the flap
of skin that hangs beneath the chin of an animal, or on an elderly person's
neck.
Henry Hudson graduated from Central St Martins College of Art and Design
in 2005. His first exhibition at Hiscox Art Projects was The Beautiful
and the Damned, a controversial collaboration with Stella Vine, which
featured celebrities including Kate Moss and Meg Matthews.
Elliot McDonald, Hiscox Curator, said: "Henry Hudson's work
often transgresses conventional notions of good taste and challenges us
to look again at familiar subject matter. His work is both striking and
humorous and we are delighted to be bringing an original talent to Hiscox
Art Projects."
ENDS
For further information including images please contact:
Jessica Blomfield
Kallaway
020 7221 7883
jessica.blomfield@kallaway.co.uk
Sarah Grogan
Hiscox
020 7448 6494
sarah.grogan@hiscox.com
About Hiscox plc
Hiscox plc is a specialist insurance group listed on the London Stock
Exchange. There are three main underwriting parts of the Group - Hiscox
Global Markets, Hiscox UK and Europe, and Hiscox International. Hiscox
Global Markets underwrites mainly internationally traded business in the
London Market - generally large or complex business which needs to be
shared with other insurers or needs the international licences of Lloyd's.
Hiscox UK and Hiscox Europe offer a range of specialist insurance for
professionals and business customers, as well as high net worth individuals.
Hiscox International includes offshore operations in Bermuda and Guernsey
and Hiscox USA.
For further information, go to www.hiscox.com
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