David Birkin
A series of portraits by David Birkin use altered newspaper clippings of Cold War era political, military and religious leaders to comment on the media’s representation of war.
“I’ve selected pictures where the picture editor’s annotations (crop marks, written notes, ink shading, re-touching, etc.) change the meaning of the original photo, or teases out a psychoanalytical or political subtext. Some of the mark-making is quite violent, some humorous. In all instances though, this pre-Photoshop manipulation of the image or image-sequence creates a tension between the photograph and the painted surface – between what is recorded and what gets published,” said Birkin.
Birkin is showing alongside three other artists as part of Lieux de Mémoire (Sites of Memory). The exhibition brings together artists who consider the methods and motivations for our collective remembering (and forgetting) in relation to political issues around the world.
Lieux de Mémoire is on display at Sumarria Lunn Gallery in Mayfair, London until Friday 24 January 2014.
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