Tales from the Electric Forest

About

This exhibition will explore how mythological and folkloric symbolism is evolving in contemporary urbanized environments. As humans have migrated into cityscapes, we have brought with us a vast array of age-old mythical creatures and many new ones have risen up from the pavement. Such beings have found refuge in such places as dark dingy alleyways, abandoned factories, derelict houses, attics, cellars, sewers, train stations, underground tube lines... anywhere out of reach of the city's lights. These fantastical city dwelling figures and their stories, clearly continue to absorb and fascinate mass consciousness, for they are continually rearing their heads in modern cinema, theatre, literature and art. Recent examples of such tales can be found in the form of Murakami's monstrous rat-like 'Inklings' in his novel; 'Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World'. The comedy series, the Mighty Boosh, created the hideous 'Crackfox' and David Lynch made a dreaklocked back-alley witch in his film 'Mulholland Drive'. All of these tales explore figures that appear to have undergone some form of physical mutation or drastic mental change rendering them abnormal and monstrous. With the idea that mythological symbolism has a reality underlying any rhetorical or fictional use, the exhibition's ultimate purpose is to offer an illustration of the fears and aspirations of the early 21st century and compare them to those of bygone days. Fifteen artists have scoured the dark corners of the city and their own consciousness, creating and appropriating tales of the city.