Jeremy Deller: The Infinitely Variable Ideal of the Popular

The Infinitely Variable Ideal of the Popular is the first exhibition of the Jeremy Deller (b.1966, London) in Spain, which will present both his earliest and his latest works.

A selection of photographs, installations, videos and posters compose this exhibition curated by Amanda de la Garza and Cuahtémoc Medina, which can be visited from February the 13th through June 2015. This conceptual artist’s trajectory is notable for its reflection on British culture and its historical and political contradictions, in the context of a postindustrial and multicultural society. Deller represents British popular culture through its stereotypes, appropriating symbols, icons, objects and modes of circulation from popular culture. In his work there is an evident departure from object production in order to give way to collective actions.

The Infinitely Variable Ideal of the Popular is articulated around three axes: They Fucked You…, Miners’ Stories, and An Artist of the People. Each one of these engage with different themes, such as the art circuit, English working class culture, and British popular culture. His approach towards the popular, and towards pop culture from the 90’s, is impregnated with humor. Premised on the reenactment of situations related to historical events, in his works Jeremy Deller, 2004 Turner Prize winner, researches the relationship between art, memory, and History. This is evident in iconic pieces such as The Battle of Orgreave (2001), which brought together almost 1000 people in a reenactment of a confrontation during the 1984 Miner Strike; or, on the other hand, through the recuperation of characters, such as the one in So Many Ways To Hurt You. The Life And Times of Adrian Street (2010), a piece in which he portrays the life of a transvestite professional wrestler who comes from a coal miners’ family.