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Marcus Harvey show to include sculpture of naked Margaret Thatcher with pigs Marcus Harvey show to include sculpture of naked Margaret Thatcher with pigs
(35 minutes later)
There is a happy pig on top of a reclining, naked, sexualised Margaret Thatcher, but artist Marcus Harvey insists his sculpture has nothing to do with David Cameron. There is a happy pig on top of a reclining, naked, sexualised Margaret Thatcher, but the artist Marcus Harvey insists his sculpture has nothing to do with David Cameron.
Related: Simon Hattenstone views Marcus Harvey's new artwork
It was made long before recent stories about the prime minister. Nor does the allegation have anything to do with the work’s meaning, he said.It was made long before recent stories about the prime minister. Nor does the allegation have anything to do with the work’s meaning, he said.
Harvey is an artist still best known for causing a storm at the Royal Academy’s 1997 Sensation show with his portrait of Myra Hindley composed of children’s handprints. It was attacked with eggs and ink, and is remembered as one of the most controversial artworks of the nineties. Harvey is an artist still best known for causing a storm at the Royal Academy’s 1997 Sensation show with his portrait of Myra Hindley composed of children’s handprints. It was attacked with eggs and ink, and is remembered as one of the most controversial artworks of the 1990s.
On Wednesday the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings announced it was to stage an exhibition of Harvey’s work next summer. Called Inselaffe – a light-hearted German term for British people, meaning “island monkeys” – the show will explore ideas of Britishness. On Wednesday the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings announced it would stage an exhibition of Harvey’s work next summer. The show, called Inselaffe – a light-hearted German term for British people, meaning “island monkeys” – will explore ideas of Britishness.
One of the standout works will be the lifesize sculpture of a naked Thatcher with the pig and some snuffling piglets. They are there, said Harvey, because “I think she unleashed the pigs, she was that shortsighted. She did have that belief in market forces being the ultimate guide for society and it has created a flat, one-dimensional society.” One of the standout works will be the lifesize sculpture of a naked Thatcher with the pig and some snuffling piglets. Harvey said they were there because “I think she unleashed the pigs, she was that shortsighted. She did have that belief in market forces being the ultimate guide for society and it has created a flat, one-dimensional society.”
Harvey hates much of what Thatcher did but he can also see the benefits of some of her policies. As he has got older, he has become more ambivalent. He said: “She is one of the most important female figures in British history and also one of the most important politicians. Also the sexualised element of her is an important part of why she is still such a potent figure.” Harvey hates much of what Thatcher did but he can also see the benefits of some of her policies. As he has got older he has become more ambivalent. He said: “She is one of the most important female figures in British history and also one of the most important politicians. Also the sexualised element of her is an important part of why she is still such a potent figure.”
The show, opening in July, will explore Britain as an island and how that feeds into contemporary political issues, such as the EU debate or the refugee crisis. He said it was sometimes frustrating that he was still defined by the Hindley portrait, but “it is part of my trajectory in terms of finding subjects. She is a part of my psychology.”
As well as sculptures there will be seascapes, appropriate given the gallery’s picturesque position on the town’s shingle fishing beach. The portrait, a critique on the media exploitation of the Hindley image, caused a furore, but he said he had not set out to be controversial. He was surprised by the “unsophisticated reaction”.
Harvey follows artists such as the Chapman Brothers and Rachel Howard to have exhibitions at the not-for-profit gallery, which opened in 2012. Related: Simon Hattenstone views Marcus Harvey's new artwork
It is sometimes frustrating that he is still defined by the Hindley portrait, Harvey said, but “it is part of my trajectory in terms of finding subjects. She is a part of my psychology.” His new work, influenced by political cartoonists such as Steve Bell, will be in both jesmonite and bronze. Eyebrows might be raised but he does not expect any real controversy with his Thatcher. He said: “I don’t really believe anyone will be offended or preoccupied really … partly because there is a humorous cheeky seaside element to it as well.”
The portrait, a critique on the media exploitation of the Hindley image, caused a furore, but he was never setting out to be controversial, he said. He was surprised by the “unsophisticated reaction”. The show, opening in July, will explore Britain as an island and how that feeds into contemporary political issues such as the EU debate or the refugee crisis. As well as sculptures there will be seascapes – appropriate, given the gallery’s picturesque position on the town’s shingle fishing beach.
His new work, influenced by political cartoonists such as Steve Bell, will be in both jesmonite and bronze. Harvey follows artists such as the Chapman Brothers and Rachel Howard to have exhibitions at the not-for-profit gallery, which opened in 2012. The gallery will devote other shows next year to the modern British artists John Piper and Prunella Clough and the prolific social realist painter John Bratby, who died in his adopted home of Hastings in 1992.
Related: Art attack: defaced artworks from Rothko to Leonardo - in pictures That show, opening on 30 January, is unusual because the Jerwood issued a public request for people to offer their Bratbys as loans. About 200 people including Michael Palin, Julian Sands and owners from as far afield as Poland and Dubai replied.
Eyebrows might be raised but he does not expect any real controversy with his Thatcher. He said: “I don’t really believe anyone will be offended or preoccupied really ... partly because there is a humorous cheeky seaside element to it as well.”
The Harvey exhibition will follow shows earlier in the year devoted to important modern British artists John Piper and Prunella Clough.
Before those, opening on 30 January, will be a show for the prolific social realist painter John Bratby, who died in his adopted home of Hastings just a day after his 64th birthday, in 1992.
The show is unusual because the Jerwood did a public request for people to offer their Bratbys as loans. About 200 people, including Michael Palin, Julian Sands and owners from as far afield as Poland and Dubai, replied.