The Endless Village is a satirical art exhibition coming to Aspex from Thursday 29th March and featuring archival material, oral history interviews and moving image work in the form of a satirical sitcom, accompanied by a residency from creators and collaborators, General Public.
‘It is 2066, 50 years since Brexit and 1000 years since the Norman Conquest. A devolution revolution has gripped the public consciousness as first countries- then counties sought political control on a local level leading to a succession of endless villages, tribes and small self-sufficient communities. The resulting breakdown in global trade renders legally sourced bananas as virtually non-existent. But each year in Kingdom#3, a special community celebration is held called ‘Banana Day’, a time to celebrate the forbidden fruit. Why does Kingdom#3 insist on celebrating the banana, an unavailable fruit with a dark colonial history? How will they possibly find a banana in time and what ethical compromise will its purchase entail?’
This Thursday, 29th March at 6pm, Aspex gallery launches a controversial and collaborative preview of the gallery’s latest exhibition.
The Endless Village features archival material, oral history interviews and moving image work in the form of a satirical sitcom. Set in the future, the exhibition explores the trials and trivialisations of life in post-Brexit Britain and is titled Banana Day.
Written and produced by General Public, the collaborative platform of artists Elizabeth Rowe and Chris Poolman, the exhibition investigates localism and trade relations in the NFKATUK – The National Formerly Known as the UK. With a cast of professional actors and filmed by former BBC director and producer Oli Clark, The Endless Village seeks to bring a few giggles and to spark conversation over national and topical issues.
General Public will also be taking residency at Aspex until 30th June and will host a series of participatory events in response to the exhibition. The artistic group’s approach is interdisciplinary and collaborative and, in the past, have produced artworks using various forms of media such as writing, film and print.
Their previous projects include the re-interpretation of the biennale concept in inner-city Birmingham (Balsall Heath Biennale 2011 – 2013), a science fiction-themed light festival (Longbridge Light Festival, 2014) and an 18-month strategic touring exhibition inspired by the movements of hop-pickers (The Hop Project, 2016 – 17).
Find out more at the preview on Thursday night and, if you can’t make it, pop down over the next two and half months to discover and explore The Endless Village. You can also find out more at Aspex’s website and on the Facebook Events Page.
