Seaside Holidays for the Working Classes by Faye Claridge

About

This exciting new solo exhibition by Faye Claridge brings together the contemporary style of Rugby Youth Dance with the eccentric world of morris dancing. In a series of video and photographic works, Claridge presents the demise in Rugby of the traditionally male pastime of morris dancing, and aims to provoke its rebirth with the unlikely assistance of pop band JLS and shocking pink hosiery! Produced over a year-long residency with Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Claridge's works are both inspiring and thought-provoking; her exploration of morris dancing revealing a social and political importance that is as relevant now as it has been over centuries of tradition. Persecuted over the ages for their association with paganism, some believe morris sides began blackening their faces with available coal or fire blacking to disguise themselves cheaply. This has now become a part of morris culture, particularly in the style known as border morris. In these remarkable new images made with teenagers in stylized border morris costumes with blackened faces, Claridge has created an unsettling series of works that question the role of tradition in modern life. With her insightful references to art history and social theory, her works have many layers of meaning, managing to be simultaneously sinister, humorous, elegant and challenging. A performance by Rugby Youth Dance inspired by traditional morris dance will accompany this exhibition. Contact us for details.