1. Where does the title come from?
The title of the exhibition refers to a flag artwork by the British artist Rose Finn-Kelcey (1945-2014), made in 1971 to be displayed on Alexandra Palace, London. In the exhibition, you can watch a video of the flag being unfurled in 1971. Finn-Kelcey called the artwork a ‘wind-dependent object’, meaning that it required a weather event, out of the artist’s control, to operate. This reminds us that we are closely bound to the environment around us, and subject to its forces. Her message is ambiguous, while also signalling the invisible forces around us.
Exhibition curator Dr Amy Tobin chose this work as the title for the exhibition because it speaks to a crisis common to us all – climate catastrophe. But Finn-Kelcey’s warning message has a broader resonance too, it suggests how artists and artworks can raise our awareness of world events.
2. The exhibition explores histories of oppression
Many of the artworks in the exhibition explore historical oppression. Candace Hill-Montgomery’s charcoal and crayon drawing 92 Morningside – Remember Fred Hampton records the assassination of the Black Panther activist by law enforcement in his Chicago apartment in 1969. Made in 1979, the work is a memorial for Hampton, as well as a call to remember the civil rights struggle and the work still to do.
Similarly, Tomash Jackson’s artwork The Talking Drum is part of a series called ‘Silent Alarm’, referencing Black music cultures and anti-racist struggle. The Talking Drum features an image from the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival, where youth protests rallied against the excessive police presence. The title of the walk refers to West African instruments which were used to communicate over great distance, and subsequently banned on US plantations because they could mobilise insurrection.
3. The exhibition calls for a change of perspective
As you explore the exhibition, you will notice artworks on the ceiling, the floor, and works created from unusual perspectives and scales. For example, Cecilia Vicuña’s Red Pipe offers a pavement-level view of a red pipe looming over two small ‘precarios’ sculptures. These ‘precarios’ are constructed from found materials and highlight the harsh environment at a city’s ground level, as the sculptures could easily be destroyed by oblivious passers-by.
In addition, you may have to move back for the images in Tomashi Jackson’s works to become clear, or move toward Justin Caguiat’s painting to see its many layers.
These artworks demand our attention and encourage us to think about how different perspectives and viewpoints offer important ways of experiencing the world.
4. The exhibition features a wide range of materials and installations
The exhibition is immersive, incorporating a variety of artistic media. On the ceiling between the two galleries is God Kennel – A Tabernacle by Rose Finn-Kelcey, a sculpture which asks us to look up, mimicking a glance heavenward (the term ‘tabernacle’ refers to the earthly dwelling of God in Jewish and Christian traditions).
In Gallery 1, you can experience Tarek Lakhrissi’s installation Unfinished Sentence. The installation comprises ten hanging metal works suspended in a lavender-filtered light, inspired by Monique Wittig’s 1969 book Les Guérillères, in which an Amazon-like warrior tribe’s revolt against misogyny. Ndayé Kouagou’s sound collage uses samples from theme tunes of iconic female-led action television shows Xena: Warrior Princess and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
With lots of artistic materials and techniques on display, Here is a Gale Warning has something for everyone!
5. Anne Tallentire’s work has a local connection
Look Over 4 is a newly commissioned floor drawing from a series of similar works in which Tallentire traces the floorplan of an apartment at life size. The floorplan at Kettle’s Yard is of one of the apartments in the Manor Place block nearby on King’s Street, Cambridge. The complex was designed as part of a social housing project that saw the collaboration of Cambridge City Council, University academics and Jesus College, Cambridge. The project, completed in 1977, is characteristic of a more hopeful moment in development, when good and affordable housing for all was paramount.
Tallentire’s work allows us to experience the floorplan at life size. We might notice the differences between the floor drawing, and the space of to the gallery and lobby in which it is situated, or we can reflect on the Kettle’s Yard house, or our own homes.
Find out more
Here is a Gale Warning: Art, Crisis & Survival
This exhibition presents eight contemporary artists whose works offer vantage points on a world in perpetual crisis. Rather than representing specific political events, or taking singular positions, each artist in this exhibition explores broader conditions of domination and conflict, as well as horizons for survival.
Free Digital Guide
Enhance your visit to Here is a Gale Warning: Art, Crisis & Survival with our free digital guide on Bloomberg Connects. The exhibition guide features audio from the artists discussing their works and the key themes explored.
