- Venue
- The Crypt Gallery
- Location
The Crypt Gallery is a great venue just to drop in on if passing, as the exhibitions change every few weeks, and it can always be relied upon to host an interesting group show. It’s fascinating to see what each collective has done with the nooks, what they have placed upon the brick sarcophaguses, and how they have used the tunnels which fade away into alarming darkness.
Dare to Wear is a colourful, kitschy cornucopia of a show, and what happens when craft goes mad, and a bit bad. Mannequins and bits of mannequins wear jewellery and headpieces, or are huddled together. Headpieces drip dolls, dolls wear animal skins, everything wears something.
This is wearable art, good hearted bold pieces you can’t wear if you’re shy.
I fell in love with a coat. Forget getting a tattoo sleeve to express yourself, this is the coat you would always wear to your best and most arty things and to pick up your Turner prize. Beautifully made and shaped, it comprises embroidered images of women – Russian doll faces, pin up girls, cartoons. By Lauren Shanley, it’s an amazing technicoloured female coat.
Also impressive is an apron spilling buttons and poetry, and a plastic bag dress which manages to balance being both hilarious and meaningful.
There is a feel of Outsider Art and people obsessed with making things. Jumbled imagery, some fine pieces, exuberant collage, paintings, embroideries, assemblages and homages to Frida Kahlo. Why shouldn’t art be a glorious celebration of colour and stuff.
If the difference between craft and fine art is critical context, then I can think of plenty of exhibitions I have seen with work like this, only more selfconsciously presented.
