The Outsiders Newcastle kick off our 2012 program of exhibitions with a double-header - Prefab77's 'Lightning Strikes Twice' which takes place in the darkest recesses of the gallery at the same time as Alaric Hammond's 'Wonderland'.
Artists: Prefab77
Location: The Outsiders - Newcastle
Dates: Friday 20th of January 2012 to Saturday 18th of February 2012
Prefab77 is an art collective based in the North East of England who over time have developed a distinct, dark feeling to their work which is often satirical of British life and it’s fading institutions. Much of their imagery has a British slant, a satire on modern british living, celebrating and mourning the passing of our great institutions.
‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ is their second show at The Outsiders Newcastle gallery and finds them experimenting with and exploring the use of light in their work. They are pioneering a new technique employing oralite film, a substance used to coat road signs and police cars for example, using a ubiquitous urban material as a medium to reflect their fast, hard-edged, stripped down artwork. Oralite strongly reflects light, lending an arresting glow to the works in question. The ubiquitous but little-known element of the urban environment ideally suits Prefabʼs hard-edged, stripped-down art. The effect is both haunting and beautiful.
Active since 2007, Prefab77ʼs depictions of a contemporary protest movement can now be recognised as balefully prophetic, auguring the appearance of rioters in Greece and Oakland, California during 2011. The consistent theme in ʻLighting Strikes Twiceʼ is that of the masked protestor, his or her visage obscured by scarves, balaclavas, or a hastily-arranged disguise. “This has always been a visual signifier of ours, but over the past couple of years it has also been played out across the media in crucial, dramatic and in some cases ʻlife or deathʼ scenes,” they state. “Weʼve seen people stand up for their beliefs, take to the streets to let those in charge know they have a voice... But due to varying degrees of danger, they have to remain anonymous. Images of people all around the world covering their faces to make a point will be something we may see even more of. It is time to stop believing in authority and start believing in each other.”
