The Fear & Love exhibition at the Design Museum, Kensington, was one of the more memorable exhibitions I have visited. Linked only quite obscurely to fashion, it emphasised a more abstract relationship that humanity has with sociological and economically events around the world. The shell of the Design Museum itself was impressive: architecturally unique, bright and spacious. I really enjoyed browsing around the free admission gallery space in addition to the exhibition too, which had some interesting conceptual ideas and inventions.There was a large-scale neon flashing sign as I entered, which immediately gave me the impression that the content of the exhibition would be largely based around technology, given what background knowledge I also had of it from my independent, prior research. In hindsight, it also reminds me of the connection between love and fear which ultimately epitomised the exhibition. The structure of the exhibition wasn't especially rigid - one large room was divided up into a number of different installations which meant that I was able to dart to and from the ones that particularly held my interest. I was immediately drawn to 'Mimus', a giant industrial robot, confined to a glass case with the ability to sense the audience's presence and follow them around the room. The descriptive text to support the installation reads: "Ordinarily, robots such as this one are used to do highly repetitive tasks on a production line. But [Madeleine] Gannon" - the installation curator - "has reprogrammed Mimus - named for its ability to mimic - so that it can seem somewhat sentient, and interact with us." The exhibition as a whole was extremely interactive but this installation in particular created a narrative around interaction which explored humanity's fears about robots and technology 'taking over' or becoming a danger to our race.
A second installation which really interested me was 'The Pan-European Living Room'. In the process of putting together the exhibition, the UK voted in a referendum to leave the EU and so the curators decided to make a statement in support of the Remain party with this installation. This imitation living room is furnished with 28 pieces from the 28 EU member states which combined, create a really meaningful and symbolic setting. It's interesting to be able to recognise the unity of the EU in such a visual dynamic and I found it really overwhelming to see the impact of the referendum vote demonstrated on each country and their cultures.
I enjoyed an installation which consisted of a dome-shaped passage, housing a number of screens all around the room playing a series of short films about different aspects of online love on gay dating app Grindr. The room was dark and lit only by the screens, which you could view by sharing a seat with others on a large, soft-furnished, circular stool. While sitting inside the installation, I noticed how many people were reluctant to fully immerse themselves in it so instead stood in the archway and thought about how this in itself really epitomised what the installation was trying to portray - the fear of love, the stigma, the danger - of love, of homosexuality in a world of volatility and of the online sphere. Another installation which caught my eye - being the most colourful in the room - was 'Fibre Market' which narrated a critique of our fast fashion consumption habits and a proposal for a more sustainable future. This demonstrates our conflict in western culture between the love of clothing and the ownership of masses of 'things' and the fear of destroying our world or running out of what we rely on. Again, the loud visual nature of the installation was quite emotionally striking. To see a room full of large mounds of wool was a clear reminder of what it really takes from the world's resources for us each to simply own and wear a jumper.
I found that the exhibition was incredibly ambitious and handled a variety of huge, thoughtful topics which made me stop and consider during my visit to and afterwards. The issues which the exhibition explored were all very current and I feel that it is important for the sake of history that they are recorded in art-form for us to reflect and consider for a long time to come - so that we may learn from our past anxieties and take inspiration from our optimism.The exhibition will be housed at the Design Museum, Kensington High Street, London from 24th November 2016 - 23rd April 2017.
Justin McGuirk, 28th December 2016, Design Museum, London
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