sticky: madeleine child and philip jarvis

9 august - 15 september 2010

Madeleine Child and Philip Jarvis have established a reputation for pushing the boundaries of their art practice. 'Sticky' 2010, is an evocative extension of their previous work, continuing to explore themes of colour, texture and pattern.

For this exhibition Child and Jarvis have produced distinctively colorful, vibrant and playful faux sweets which evoke a sense of sentimentality, anticipation and wonder. Their ceramic lolly mixes foster the desire to recapture the pleasures and delights of past experiences. As objects they represent precious moments in time when we lingered at the sweet counter agonising over our decisions, determined to make the best choice and full of expectation.

There is however an underlying tension, exposing a slightly darker side.  On the one hand we are drawn in by the tactile and childlike irresistible qualities of these giant edible treats. The flip side is that the sweet makers and sellers collaborate with their lurid concoctions. There is a veiled sinister intent and foreboding that these delightful offerings are not quite what they seem.