There are a few different camps in art. Among them there are those that think that art is a means by which to communicate the things around us in an idealized form. They believe in beauty and find no fault in fantasy. On an extreme other end are those who think that art has a social duty. They believe that art is a mirror held up to society and that an artwork must comment on the reality of the context in which it finds itself. To some extent, one could say the same about the world of journalism. There are certainly those who believe in journalism’s social duty and there are those who certainly believe in something perhaps other than beauty, but nonetheless find no fault in a bit of fantasy. Luckily for us, if not for the cause of journalistic integrity, a bit of fantasy makes a great story, and great stories can inspire great art.
As part of his current exhibition of Bugada & Cargnel, Nick Devereux is showing a series of drawings done on mass produced prints of paintings collectively known as Crying Boys that revive a 25 year old tale from Britain’s tabloid The Sun. In 1985 The Sun reported that Yorkshire firefighters frequently found Crying Boys undamaged amongst the ruins of burned down houses. Several articles and a couple months later, the paper had incited such mass hysteria over the curse of the Crying Boys as to lead to organized burnings of the paintings. Shortly thereafter the reason for the prints survival was discovered – it was nothing more cursed than a flame retardant varnish – but by then the paintings were already recognizable and tied to the legend The Sun had created.
Seeing recognition as an obstacle that can curb the potential of an image, Devereux has sanded away the boys’ heads and replaced them with drawings of paper sculptures he made. The technique, used throughout the exhibition over images that are recognizable in one way or another, is startling effective. After Devereuxs interventions, as they are now is fascinatingly emotive. As for as they should be? Who can remember, or maybe they should always have been like this.
The exhibition is up at Bugada & Cargnel until July 23, Tuesday to Saturday, 2 pm to 7 pm. Looking for somewhere were “how it is” is “how it should always be”? Look no further than Hotel des Academies et des Arts.
Images courtesy Bugada & Cargnel
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