Jim Shaw’s exhibition at the Baltic takes the viewer through a mass of imagery transporting them into a psychedelic, surreal world . Known for his diverse practice, he fills two full floors with ease, showcasing works ranging from intricate drawings taking influence from comics to video art and large scale customised stage back drops – and everything in between.
Shaw is a hoarder. Fascinated with comics, movies music and imagery in advertising his work has taken influence from a range of sources that have all melted together to form strong narratives informing the various methods in his work. He encompasses this world through a character called Billy in his series My Mirage , an average character occasionally doubling as Shaw’s alter ego, who goes on a journey through adolescence and psychedelia during the flux of 1960’s America. You can’t help but think that hallucinogenics must have played a part in creating these works, they have an element of the unconscious making recognisable situations and settings become mad. Drawings inspired by dreams are transformed into ‘Dream Objects’ ; sculptures that have unexplainable forms covered with various imagery and text. He transforms 2D drawings by making them 3D acting as visual shrines to his narratives.
His influence from surreal teachers in his education are clear but he makes a conscious effort to link his work with realities of American society, religion, consumption and the need for constant entertainment feature in his work, but is caught somewhere between reality and the imagined unconscious world. What sets Shaw apart from his contemporaries is that his skill is just as strong and developed as his concept, his figurative paintings, drawings and comic style match his developed narratives and even the creation of ‘Oism’, a faith highly influenced and centred on art.
The top floor of the exhibition is home to the ‘Left Behind’ paintings, created on theatrical backdrops around the time of the American Presidential Elections and George Bush’s Campaign- a society leaving behind a manufacturing economy and the workers with it. This is clearly shown in Untitled 2006, a banner depicting a group of zombie like businessmen staggering beneath a banner reading, “ work will set you free” the phrase which also sat on the gates of Auschwitz, depicting the idea of becoming slaves to society and consumerism. But displayed opposite is another customised stage set depicting an explosive mass of fluidity and floating household appliances erupting from the parliamentary buildings, a humorous and simply strange juxtaposition that no doubt links to his views on American society, but this aside it has an amazing aesthetic.
Shaw’s work cannot fail to impress, some may consider the work elaborately mad but the scale of this exhibition showcasing the sheer capacity of the human imagination makes it particularly memorable. I think all art students would agree, the ability to produce that much work in so many different mediums deserves appreciation and definitely puts The Rinse Cycle on the map of must see exhibitions so far this year – a good start!
Tessa Pierce