Slinkachu | Concrete Ocean

“…some twelve billion years ago the gods created the universe, including the [...] dinosaurs and such like, but after a while found these huge creatures rather tedious [...] Turning from gigantism to miniaturism, the gods then created little creatures on earth, including humans...” Shapiro & Bennett, The Politics of Moralizing, 2002.

In turn, Slinkachu, the arch miniaturist, has placed his 1:87 scale installations in a city that is, from the perspective of the Little People, a Concrete Ocean. Or is it also a concrete ocean from our perspective? We city-dwellers often feel that sense of being overwhelmed by the urban environment, we empathise with the vulnerability of the Little People – not least as they are abandoned by their maker either to be trodden underfoot by a careless passer-by or to startle a more attentive one.

We may laugh at their barely significant perspective on life, their diminutive world view, but perhaps also reflect that ours is equally narrow and our lives are just as insignificant. Looking at these photographically recorded installations one has the impression of zooming in and zooming out. One feels close to the drama and yet also distanced from it.

For Concrete Ocean, Slinkachu has reversed his usual process: he has seemingly uprooted paving stones and tarmac and brought them into the gallery. Tiny figures populate these urban islands, sometimes proudly, sometimes forlornly, but all the while oblivious that the boundaries of their world are so limited. Oblivious that they will float forever on the concrete ocean that is their (and our) home.

Swashbuckling

5

Fantastic Voyage

7

Bones

9

Boys’ Own Adventures

11

Displeasure Beach

13

Sugar High

15

Downpour

17

One Day Son

19

Riot

21

The Last Resort

23

Ups and Downs

25

Flotsam

27

Animals

29

Dying Embers

31

Stranger Danger

33

House of God (Application for planning permission - Ref: 11-0282-D)

35

Side Orders

37

Ups and Downs

39

Sustainable Living

41

They're Not Pets, Susan

43

It's All Fun And Games

45

Natives

49

Various formats: C-type print (53 x 80 cm) (80 x 120 cm) Aluminium (120 x 180 cm) Light boxes (80 x 120 cm) C-type print on metallic paper (53 x 80 cm)

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Pages 14-15

Swashbuckling Monument area, London 2010

Fantastic Voyage Acton, London 2011

Bones Angel area, London 2011

Boys’ Own Adventures Acton, London 2011

Displeasure Beach Woolwich, London 2011

Sugar High Kings Cross, London 2011

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Pages 20-21

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Pages 26-27

Downpour London Bridge, London 2010

One Day Son Southmere Lake, London 2011

Riot Westminster, London 2011

The Last Resort Wandsworth, London 2010

Ups and Downs Shoreditch, London 2010

Flotsam Amstel River, Amsterdam 2009

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Pages 32-33

Animals Wandsworth, London 2011

Dying Embers Shepherds Bush, London 2011

Stranger Danger Rotherhide, London 2011

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Pages 38-39

Pages 40-41

House of God (Application for planning permission - Ref: 11/0282-D) Mixed media 96 x 59.5 x 59.5 cm 2011

Side Orders Mixed media 27 x 34 x 44.7 cm 2011

Ups and Downs Mixed media 22 x 20 x 15 cm 2011

Sustainable Living Mixed media 29 x 45 x 45 cm 2011

Pages 42-43

Pages 44-47

Pages 48-49

They're Not Pets, Susan Mixed media 15 x 20 x 15 cm 2011

It's All Fun And Games Mixed media 215 x 28 x 34 cm 2011

Natives Mixed media 44 x 60 x 23 cm 2011

“One day, when a terrorist or our love of fossil fuel brings down the Thames Barrier, all this concrete will be under the ocean. The shopping centres and strip clubs will be frequented by the fishes and barnacles will infest our Playstations. The empty ocean will stretch to the horizon and the endless concrete vistas of the city will be lost in the depths.

“Help us!” we’ll scream as we splash about on the surface, “We’re missing Eastenders!” And the TV aerials will startle us as they brush against our feet in the depths below”.

Slinkachu

The Andipa Gallery Ltd 162 Walton Street London SW3 2JL England T +44 (0)20 7589 2371 F +44 (0)20 7225 0305 art@andipa.com www.andipa.com ISBN 978 0 9568292 0 7 Design by Slinkachu and Goodwill Branding www.goodwillbranding.com Printed by Screaming Colour

A N D I PA C O N T E M P O R A R Y