Artistic Portraits Of Turbulence

We are used to popular media portraying society and occurring events. Sometimes, however, pieces of art are produced before a specific event has happened and under some newly occurring conditions regain its significance.

During the last days of turbulence in London I came across the poetic apocalyptical world of London based FACTORY FIFTEEN, a studio specializing in the fusion of architecture and visual arts. Their recent piece Robots of Brixton is a sci-fi robotic retrospect of the 1981 riots in Brixton. If it is by chance or through great understanding of social concern it is unknown, however, the animation seem as relevant as ever these days.

Slightly deviating the riot theme another apocalyptical project comes to mind, this time being global environmental changes battering London. Questioning the value of grandiose mega redevelopment projects, maybe on the cost of social equality (?). The work of Ben Marzys London after the Rain “evokes the destruction of Hackney Marshes and, as the video progresses, reveals its connection to a greater organism”.

Nevertheless, the backgrounds of both projects have more in common than only portraying destruction of London, also artistically relations, as both consist of previous graduates from Nic Clear’s Bartlett unit 15.

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