The Site Gallery, Sheffield - Lecture, 'Art & Rave' - 3rd August

I chose to spend a Sunday afternoon  (August 3rd) at the Sheffield Site Gallery as I had been advised of a lecture taking place there concerning the links between contemporary art of the early 1990s and the popular cult movement of the time or Rave music, together with it's associated paraphernalia....

One of the most famous pieces to come from this era was the smiley face, often superimposed by a laser onto rave party walls.  This was lateer adopted into an ex-police riot shield, and then appropriated recently for this exhibition into what is Jeremy Deller's simple yet in some ways, intimidating, - smiley face entitled "Did he change your life"...   I managed to take a photo-shot of the exhibition piece with Jeremy almost standing in front of his work...



  This by the way, is meant to be said in a cockney accent,  thus; "Did 'e change your life"... hence the connotations with the Rave and drug scene of the late 1980s and the amphetamine known as "E".  Needless to say, I have a cunning plan....

Watch this space for more appropriation, from Jeremy Deller this time!... ( My project is under wraps... )

Further into the exhibition there were many more abstract works by internationally recognised contemporary artists, some of whom I've photographed here