18th November saw the opening of the first ever British exhibition by Autopsia. It also marked the publication of my 2nd book, Autopsia: Thanatopolis, the first extended study on the work of the group.
The conclusion of the book speculates on the technologically-driven future of art and culture in a Thanatotic city and culture.
Autopsia had its roots in the Punk and industrial scenes of late 1970s London and so it was natural (and long overdue) the project should symbolically return to the city that helped inspire it.
The exhibition featured several new works and worked well in the cold, gloomy interior of the Horse Hospital.
I devised the Thanatopolis (city of death) concept while working on the book. It seemed highly appropriate, given Autopsia's artistic focus on death and the destructive, if not fatal, social and economic forces that roam freely in Neofeudal London.
The conclusion of the book speculates on the technologically-driven future of art and culture in a Thanatotic city and culture.
Autopsia had its roots in the Punk and industrial scenes of late 1970s London and so it was natural (and long overdue) the project should symbolically return to the city that helped inspire it.
The exhibition featured several new works and worked well in the cold, gloomy interior of the Horse Hospital.
Early 1980s works were featured ...
Alongside Autopsia's latest sardonic merchandising venture: surplus Czechoslovak military tunics embroidered with Autopsia symbols and slogans.
The knives etched with slogans were striking.
The full range of Autopsian iconography was present, including references to alchemy, mediaeval heraldry, anatomical diagrams, industrial design and culture and more.
As well as being visually arresting, the shirts added a surreal and amusing touch.
Just as at the 2012 Autopsia show in Leipzig, I gave a tour of the exhibition at the opening, highlighting some of the works I find most intriguing.
"Wie Feuer Brennt Das Blut" (Blood burns like fire)
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