Garry Kennedy: The Big Five

About

Continuing our focus on Canadian conceptual art, Garry Kennedy is presenting a new site-specific project conceived specifically for EMERSON Gallery Berlin's expansive walls facing the River Spree. Kennedy's new work is simply titled The Big Five. The large scale mural work consists of the logos of Canada's five most powerful banks. The logos are presented simply and accurately with one exception: The colors of each respect logo have been replaced by those of its direct neighbor. Even for viewers unfamiliar with the exact details of each corporate identity, the effect is subtly disturbing. Even unfamiliar logos are an expression of the impersonal internationalization of marketing and news lingo, instantaneously recognizable across national borders. Among Kennedy's long list of awards and special recognition, the artist was selected to the prestigious Order of Canada in 2003. For 23 years he was president of Canada's renowned NSCAD - Nova Scotia College of Art and Design - in Halifax. Despite this public acceptance, Kennedy has retained a critical distance to developments in art and society: His art often strikingly reveals otherwise hidden social realities without blatant comment from the artist. The result is often a fine example of speaking truth to power. Duration of the exhibition: Garry Kennedy:The Big Five: 12 — 26 July 2014 Opening: 11 July, 7:00 — 10:00 pm