SUBJECT TO CHANGE: AN UNKLE EXHIBITION

Subject to Change: AN UNKLE EXHIBITION

Venue	Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
Date(s)	6-8 Sep 2003

The Never Never Land album launch featured artwork from UNKLE on display, including the Never Never Land album artwork by Futura, a limited edition Kubrick toy for sale, artwork from the previous Psyence Fiction album, prototypes of the Command Z Toys, and an early prototype of the U77 figure.

A set of postcards were also made available to purchase.

The exhibition was followed by an UNKLE concert held on the 9 September 2003.

Review

Review by RTHQ September 2003 Images from article are available on Flickr.

The UNKLE exhibition at the ICA was quite small, yet had many items on display of interest for the fans of both the UNKLE music, the toy collectors and fans of Futura 2000. Living up to the title of the exhibition, it was delayed by a day and opened on the Saturday instead of Friday as intended. This left a couple of people a bit pissed off as some had come quite a distance to check the show on the Friday.

Unlike any exhibition I've been to before, as the gallery doors swung open, we all headed straight to the book shop to grab the merchandise on offer. Items available included boxed postcards (limited to 50 packs, at £40 a throw), a nice slection of prints that came in a 12" sleeve type box (I think these were £80), some UNKLE x BAPE Ts, the new single, the new DVD single, Psyence Fiction CD, the boxed Kubrick set and especially for the show, a white Kubrick. There were 300 of the white Kubricks for the show and these were £13. For those feeling particularly flush, Ben Drury's photographs (I assume by not of him) were also available for £500.

Held within the upper gallery of the ICA, the exhibiton consisted of a large multi paneled piece by Futura to your left as you entered the room. UNKLE music pumped out through the speakers, naturally. Three glass cabinets were in the centre of the room. One contained bits and pieces from Psyence Fiction. Another contained prototype Kubricks that appear to have been used for the sleeve notes of the new album. A boxed CD version of the new album was on display. The third cabinet contained various UNKLE related figures, including a prototype of the figure from Psyence Fiction.

As already noted, the Futura mural took one wall, the next wall around the room had two cabinets and a print of Futura in action. One cabinet contained the forever delayed 12" Pointman figure. I noted what looked very much like the Bounty Hunter logo on its shoulder pauldron - one for the toy fans to speculate on... The other cabinet contained the 1000% UNKLE Kubrick. It was good to see these items in the UK after having seen photos of them at the BAPE Gallery earlier this year. The opposite wall had some further prints of Futura at work. A film to accompany the exhibition was projected on the wall opposing the mural. The film shows Futura doig a large mural. It was nicely edited by the folks at Unorthodoz Styles, and the end piece where the 2D Pointman "come alive" was a nice touch.

I did enjoy going, although it was a small affair. I felt it was more an exhbition of Futura's work, and how it has been developed by the UNKLE/Mo Wax team. Some fans might be disappointed that the exhibition wasn't a showcase for all the UNKLE material, but just being able to get the Kubrick and check the prototype figures was worth it alone for me!

See Also

9 September 2003

Billboard 13 September 2003

External Link

Images from exhibition at ICA

Exhibition Review (Archived)