HEATH KANE EXHIBITION - CULTURAL DEVOLUTION - 26th of August
Cultural Devolution. An exhibition by Heath Kane.
When I was growing up I never really thought or cared about politics. I don’t remember there being a lightbulb moment when I suddenly cared about the political landscape. However, I now devote most of my working life to creating artwork that is intangibly linked to politics. Perhaps it’s a symptom of growing old and getting more jaded, or perhaps the world is getting more messed up. The fact my kids now have an opinion about politics suggests the latter is true. I’ve realised that I actually do care, and that I want to encourage others to feel similarly.
Cultural Devolution is an exhibition that raises questions about life in a democratic society. It is part of my broader ‘Happy Propaganda’ collection. The exhibition explores how we got to be a society that is so politically divisive. From Brexit to climate issues - it seems like everything today is highly contested and fought over. The world is ripe with misinformation in the unlikely form of propaganda. But, what would happen if we could actually use this propaganda to do good? What if we could elect the right person to steer us towards a less divisive and more unified world.
Have you ever thought about whether democracy actually works? If Barbie and Ken ran for President and Vice President the world would be excited, and they’d get elected, because on paper they fight against political stereotypes (white privilege aside). But would they actually be any good at the job?
Age-old autocratic institutions still underlie our ‘democratic’ society and it’s about time we thought seriously about who we want in the driving seat and how we get them there.
Heath Bio
Heath Kane is an Australian artist, based in the UK. Heath is synonymous with creating bold, striking, often lurid art. He embeds subtle, subversive themes that encourage a political or social conversation. Heath’s approach to art has always been driven by the practice of design thinking: combining his experience in commercial art with the origins of pop-art. He focuses on creating simple, iconic and memorable pieces that have a lasting impression.
Heath has collaborated with Wired Magazine and Saatchi Art, and has partnered with Penguin Books to create the last published covers of George Orwell’s most famous books. Heath most recently created artwork for the Glastonbury festival. He exhibits his work in solo shows all around the globe and his originals and prints frequently appear in leading galleries worldwide