Cheap & Low

About

Metropolis Contemporary presents ‘Cheap and Low’, an exhibition that attempts to
subvert the harsh realities of exclusivity within the art world. For many artists is not a
choice, as their entrapment in a low-income class forces them to create with cheap
materials, for an audience that understands and recognises these materials. Their
aesthetic qualities are shunned for lacking obscure references to past-century poetry,
and their target crowd is considered parochial and uninformed but their reality is
undeniable and touches a big audience.
‘Cheap and Low’, celebrates art that has been previously excluded from the narrative
of art history, and celebrates creators who have produced and emerged through class
struggle.
With influences from Francis Bacon, Street Art and video games Joe Young brings
high art and places it into an everyday context. His presence and identity as an artist is
haunting, his creatures are deformed and trapped within the borders of the canvas. Joe
accepts and emphasises the limitations of a canvas by showing that his creation
becomes confined in it.
Mahmoud Elhadary uses materials that enhance his thematic considerations
surrounding poverty and migration. Mahmoud uses train tickets, magazines, and paper
cuts not only to emphasise the brutal uprooting of migrants but also to capture the
fleeting nature of artistic inspiration.
Artie Carden’s art is composed of two elements; nostalgia and function turned into
form. They use film photography taken by their family members and create collages.
This method of recycling old items to create art demonstrates a powerful clash between
the past and present. Dave Pop’s art can be instantly recognised by any Brighton
locals, he decorates the streets of Brighton with vibrant colours and positive themes.
His identity as an artist is not limited to street art, his creations are based on urban
materials, like plywood panels and flooring that he discovers around the city. Dave
brings the mundanity of modern urban life into the gallery space and reminds the
audience that his art is not exclusive, it is made for and by the city.