Exhibition Excess: Mark Leckey's Latest Undertaking - Enter Thru Medieval Wounds
In the heart of Berlin, the Julia Stoschek Foundation is hosting Mark Leckey's latest exhibition, "Enter Thru Medieval Wounds." The British artist, known for his transformative work, aims to change viewers' perception and delve into the realms of the past and the present.
Leckey's work often references the medieval period, a time when images had far more resonance. This exhibition features old and new works, drawing on his interest in medieval iconography.
As visitors enter the exhibition, they go through a corridor lit by sodium lamps, signalling a shift and making them feel like they're crossing into something. This immersive experience is a hallmark of Leckey's work, aiming to work on the body as well as the mind, not just an intellectual exchange but something closer to the psychedelic.
One of the centrepieces of the exhibition is Leckey's film work, 'Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore' (1999), which has been shown more than ever in 2021. Initially intended as a documentary, it evolved to focus on the artist's personal connection to found footage. The film captures a moment of transformation, from analogue to digital, and resonates with audiences due to its ability to evoke a sense of change.
Leckey's upbringing in Ellesmere Port, a violent place, and his struggles with the police, did not deter him from attending art school. He saw it as a well-trodden path due to the success of musicians like Bowie, Pete Townshend, and Bryan Ferry. After leaving art school, thinking he wouldn't be an artist, he later returned to create 'Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore.'
'Cinema in the Round' (2006-08), included in the new exhibition, was meant to reveal a shift in the world and see if the audience felt it too. Leckey's work, such as 'GreenScreenRefrigeratorAction', 2010, reflects experiences that might confuse him profoundly and tries to find a way to share that.
The exhibition includes work going all the way back to 1999. Leckey believes the current art school system actively discourages people from working-class backgrounds due to high tuition fees. If he were in his 20s now, he might pursue his artistic investigation online rather than attending art school due to the high fees.
Leckey believes there has been a huge shift in image literacy, with the power of an image now being about circulation rather than the image itself. He thinks that if he were an artist today, he would grapple with this ontological shift, and it feels like a strange time to be an artist.
However, Leckey's work still offers an embodied experience, with art continuing to have a function as a gathering of bodies in a ritualized space. 'Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore' offers a supernatural spirit or charge that resonates with viewers, a testament to the enduring power of art in our ever-changing world.
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