It’s Real…I Promise.

To accompany the recent ACP Episode where I talk about the new Steven Appleby exhibition Nothing is Real I thought I could elaborate with some photos and some more thoughts. It’s been swirling in my grey-matter overnight.

For those without the time to scroll onwards this can be found at Space Station 65, 373 Kennington Road, London, SE11 4PT. Here’s a handy link to their site. (It’s also free entry.)

First up, I was hoping to meet Steven at the venue but he has hurt his ankle – so get better soon and hopefully we can grab another interview soon.

It’s been a while since I have ventured into the South-East Eleven area of London. Nestled between the Elephant & Castle, Camberwell and Brixton you’d now be forgiven for thinking you’d landed in a leafy corner of trendy west London and not deep(ish) south as they say in The Football Factory. It was also the day that Storm Darragh was bashing us up, so without an umbrella and with some windswept and soaked chocolate waterfall I ventured in past the ‘373’ Blast-Doors.

Don’t be put off by the Sci-Fi styled bunker gates. This is actually a lovely and airy space (station). The staff were immediately both helpful and friendly. I got in close to opening time at noon, hoping for some peace to walk round.

So, what is this all about. I think the best way to up-front describe it’s feeling and intention is to hand over to Steven himself:

“Nothing is Real is about secrets, and things not being what they appear to be. It’s about what the next door neighbours are doing on the other side of the sitting room wall. It’s about private spaces and dark places behind closed curtains, beneath pavements, and down in
basements.

It’s about who – or what – your brother, sister, best friend and co-worker turn into when you’re
not looking. It’s about the meaning of life and the meaninglessness of life. It’s about this world we all
share that exists inside our minds – not out there all around us.
It’s about reality itself. It’s about nothing…
…and it’s about everything.”

Eloquent as always. Existential, and maybe a little nihilistic? I’ll press on with the limited thoughts of this fifty-something visitor.

There’s so much for the eye and the brain. Hopefully soon we can question Steven on how he managed to summarise, emphasise and collect the life of an artist into a single space, even one this large. A big theme here is about identity and that encompasses a broad church of life and work, especially when both combine to be a single entity.

We also see through the different ‘eras’ of the work. Not only do we get the earlier Captain Starr artwork but there’s also a small monitor perched with a couple of headphones showing the Richard E. Grant voiced 1997 cartoon on a loop for romantic couples to listen in with. The visitor also gets to see banks of sequentials in comic strip form in a smaller format compared to other walls with big expanded canvasses. The viewer steps into pieces and then backwards to view in widescreen.

This is no short visit.

Beyond the art we also see much about the artist. In video, photograph, sculpture, paint and pen this is also emphatically about Steven. His work extending outwards and bending back inwards to what he is through what he does. And part of that identity is in appearance and brave representation of everything that he personally says and displays. This includes a strong sense of his sexuality. A number of pieces ask you to look longer and in one case investigate behind a dark curtain. (I’ll leave you to visit and find out for yourself – that’s not my place).

Steven presents as a woman. (Yes, for those who wrote in last time I am being careful with descriptors). This is him, this is part of what he shows here. And as part of that landscape we see work on sex and sexuality. In fact, one video installation may be enough to make a vicar blush. And as with many things there is an evolution to this revelation/revolution/discovery. This is emphatically on show. With a steadfast intent Steven shows us his life. Ranging from initimate moments and carefully self-taken polaroids to glass domed statues in defiant magnificence.

This may be one of the best exhibitions you’ll encounter this year (or any other). It got me thinking so much, not least of all about how I might go about showing all aspects of myself (it’ll never happen but it’s a fun exercise to avoid delusion). It requires the utmost of honesty. It reminds me of a recent quote I read from Gerald Scarfe, ‘Much cobblers is talked about art’. Admittedly a lot by me, but what is ALWAYS important is honesty. Art should always cut through the BS, and here, in a room, Steven Appleby does that. Bravery comes in many forms.

And for you collectors out there they also have a shop! Get at it!