Juxtapoz Magazine – Jeremy Olson “This Time of Monsters” @ Unit London

“The outdated world is dying and the new globe struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” – Antonio Gramsci

Jeremy Olson’s hottest solo exhibition with Unit London locations his acquainted cast of otherworldly creatures at the centre of an apocalyptic planet. this time of monsters draws its title from Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci’s reflections on interregnum. Interregnum, an ancient Roman phrase, signifies a period of prolonged changeover between historical levels. Olson situates his exhibition in this point out of in-betweenness, commenting on our latest period of time of societal, political, financial and environmental uncertainty. All over these tips of disaster and collapse, nonetheless, Olson’s exhibition in no way extinguishes a sense of hope and humour. Even with appearances, these monsters are depicted as type and nurturing, perplexed and introspective and, in some cases, they just want to social gathering.

Olson has been attracted to the idea of monsters because childhood, an interest that stems from his enjoy of cinema. The artist grew up watching scary movies, the 1950s Godzilla movies and David Cronenberg’s body horror. As an grownup, Olson’s fascination with monsters normally takes shape in their potential which means as anything metaphorical, socio-political or psychoanalytical. Here, the notion of a monster is an emblem of upheaval and immense improve. 

In distinct, the artist’s sculptures bookend these concepts of disaster. The greatest is a diorama of a monster with a baby, reclining in a decimated athletics arena. The lizard-like creature by itself is an apparent reference to Kaiju (Godzilla) and the composition is reminiscent of architectural versions. The monster holds up the carriage of a destroyed monorail, questioning its this means with a shocked expression, while concurrently nursing an toddler. Olson plays with perspective, not only with bodily perspective through the scale of his sculptural composition, but also with our own point of view of the monstrous. Listed here, the artist unexpectedly explores the subjectivity of a monster, reconciling it with some thing human by encouraging us to relate to its baffled expression and its maternal romantic relationship. Similarly, Olson’s scaled-down sculptures humorously conflate the monstrous and the human as man-produced constructions are built on the remnants of long-lifeless monsters. A rollercoaster sprouts from a decaying reptilian foot and a children’s slide grows from a clawed hand. These incongruous references to leisure and perform depict Olson’s overarching thoughts of rebirth and rebuilding.

Even with Olson’s explorations of the apocalyptic and the catastrophic, this time of monsters continues to be imbued with the artist’s attribute perception of humour. His anthropomorphic creatures are instantly relatable as they are unerringly distracted by a screen, a drink or by every single other as the world arrives to an conclude. this time of monsters takes satisfaction in the present and reminds us of the possibilities that can manifest in difficult circumstances, placing a stability in between a feeling of acknowledgement and hope. Olson’s depictions of these monstrously abstract fears inevitably give way to universal feelings of the interpersonal, reminding us constantly to see ourselves in some others.

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