Decima gallery

Decima Gallery is a London-based arts projects organisation with a reputation for irreverent projects,[1] according to a 2008 article in The London Paper:

ART for sex, gay claims for Jesus, pantomime cows – all standard fare for infamous London gallery Decima. The space, formerly in a Bermondsey back street, built up a rep in the late 90s for its headline-grabbing stunts. There was the Fuck Art and Pimp exhibition, where Angela Marshall offered her drawings for blow jobs (later unveiled as a spoof), the show Was Jesus a Homosexual?, and the time Decima’s joint curators Alex Chappel and David West gratecrashed the Tate dressed as a pantomime cow to "make people think".[2]
— Jessica Holland, The London Paper

Also known as Decima Projects or Decima International Arts, but more commonly simply referred to as "Decima", it is owned/managed by David West,[1][2][3][4] Alex Chappel,[1][2][4][5] Larry McGinity [5] and Mark Reeves.[4][5]

Decima have occupied various physical spaces since 1997 and have also staged a number of projects hosted by other venues, in London and around the world, including major London spaces such as the Tate Modern, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Whitechapel Gallery. Decima have also staged many conceptual, event-based and media-based projects.[2][5] Ralph Rugoff in Frieze called them "Neo-Publicists", as they do not just seek press coverage, but use the mass media as their artistic medium.[6]

As well as doing art projects, events, and club nights, Decima deals in limited edition books and prints, specialising in Gilbert & George[7] and Stephen Gill.

Origin

David C. West worked with the Factual Nonsense Gallery alongside Joshua Compston before Compston's death on 5 March 1996.[8] Among projects on which they collaborated was The Jack Duckworth Memorial Clinic,[9] a spoof clinic for soap opera addicts.

In 1996, David C. West along with Alex Chappel formed a "media terrorist" group called a.r.t. (a reasonable thought). "We use the media as a canvas for art", explained David C. West:[10] "Stunts have included running a clinic for soap opera addicts and launching The Dennis Nilsen Tour Company.".[6][11]

Decima Street 1997-2000

The group's name originates from the address of their first gallery space[2][12] which was officially launched in February 1998 at 3 Decima Studios, Decima Street, London SE1.[13][14]

The gallery was first occupied on 31 August 1997 by Guy Hilton, Philip Hunt, Alex Chappel and Matthew John Andrew. Guy Hilton left before the first show (he later went on to found the Guy Hilton Gallery with Angela Friese in London's East End, in 2005.) On 12 February 1998 the gallery was launched with a show named "Scott",[13][14] which was organised by Matthew John Andrew and Philip Hunt.

In April 1998, Decima was reported to stage "Fuckart & Pimp", a show that purported to feature a female artist producing paintings while having sex with clients.[15][16][17][18]

"With delicious predictability, the Great British Public were incensed." The show was in fact a hoax.[19][20]

Philip Hunt and Matthew John Andrew left in November 1998 after which, Decima was managed by Alex Chappel and David C. West.

On 21 August 1998, Decima sent a fax to the Tate informing them that they would be bringing a real cow to the Gallery to "show where food and sex connect with the world of art". It turned out to be the artists themselves as a Pantomime Cow. At this time, the artist Derrick Welsh was represented by and closely affiliated to Decima.[2][21]

In April 1999, Decima attempted to cause another splash with a show entitled "Was Jesus a Homosexual?" which was organised in conjunction with political philosopher Richard Morley. The Independent's Pandora column reported "Gilbert and George have installed part of a 100-year-old fountain they purchased recently, which featured the inscription "Jesus said if any man thirst let him come to me and let him drink". This now reads "Jesus said let him come". Another exhibitor, Piers Wardle, has made a crucifix with wooden balls attached by a "string that can be played with" and called it The Miracle of Holy Balls. Charles Sayer's canvas of a naked woman, legs apart, is displayed alongside eight framed biblical texts and entitled Anti-Christ I awake thee. The piece de resistance is Andrew Putland's untitled triptych depicting a black Jesus and black disciples engaged in fellatio with Christ."[22] The exhibition also featured Swedish artist Anna Livia Löwendahl-Atomic.

When the original gallery space closed in January 2000 the name Decima continued to be used by Chappel and West for art projects.

In limbo 2000-2007

Decima steadily continued organising and participating in projects during 2000-2007, albeit far less frequently. During this time, those involved with Decima became involved with other offshoot and related projects.

In 2005, The Upstairs Gallery in Clerkenwell Green, London was opened by Alex Chappel and Fiona Watson while the Guy Hilton Gallery was opened in Spitalfields, London, and an art / book sales website www.drugaddict.co.uk was launched by David C. West. The latter two still exist in February 2010.

Gallery 2 in Hackney Wick

Decima opened an art gallery in a former peanut factory in London's Hackney Wick area [7][23] on 23 February 2008 with a launch show "The Famous, The Infamous and the Really Quite Good".[2]

In March 2008, Decima began a collaboration with local galleries Elevator and Residence and local studios to plan a local Arts Festival, called Hackney Wicked. On 8 August, The first Hackney Wicked festival went ahead.[23]

Also during 2008, Decima launched their online project 'Decima TV' by webcasting a "chat show" in which comedian Aaron Barschak conducted a series of interviews with artists, namely the artists Bob & Roberta Smith,[24] Franko B and Mark McGowan.

Decima are on record as sceptical about the 2012 Olympics, which is planned for the Hackney Wick area. They comment in an article by Fay Nicholson "Relational Aesthetics"[25]

The Hackney Wick Decima Gallery space closed late 2008 - early 2009.

Without walls, 2009

Decima were criticised in January 2009 following an exhibition on Sunday 18th where they utilised images of missing three-year-old schoolgirl Madeleine McCann in pornographic artwork.[1] The exhibition was branded "appalling and completely insensitive" by the NSPCC.[26]

Decima hit back with a detailed letter explaining their intentions published in the Hackney Gazette on 18 February 2009.[1]

In another statement published in the Hackney Gazette, those running Decima said "Decima Gallery was over three days subjected to dozens of people from Liverpool literally kicking the door in. We have just got new studio tenants and six of them were in the gallery over the weekend and were terrified......Losing these tenants and goodwill of our landlord, Decima Gallery in Hackney Wick had to close it doors on January 28 for the final time, leaving several planned exhibitions in confusion."

In July 2009, Decima exhibited in the Ghetto Gallery, Split, Croatia[4] and went on to stage notable exhibitions in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany; Piccadilly, London and the Tate Modern, London.

As well as exhibitions, in 2009 Decima also organised various film projects, performance projects, art fairs, live music events and even a Berlin rave.

Exhibitions and projects

A selection of exhibitions and projects organised by or involving Decima Gallery. Most dates are approximate: where an accurate date is shown, this refers to the launch date.

1997 and earlier

Related projects which pre-date Decima:

1998

All 1998 events held at Decima Gallery, London SE1, UK unless otherwise stated.

1999

All 1999 events held at Decima Gallery, London SE1, UK unless otherwise stated.

2000–2007
2008

All 2008 events held at Decima Gallery, Hackney Wick, London E3, UK (unless otherwise stated).

2009
2010

See also

Artists, individuals and organisations Decima work with or have worked with, and other related articles:

Aaron Barschak • Adam Dant • Art of the United Kingdom • Banksy • Bob & Roberta Smith • Contemporary art • Darren Coffield • David Hockney • David Shayler • Franko B • Gilbert & George • Gary Hart • Gavin Turk • Harry Pye • Jarvis Cocker • Joshua Compston • Little Artists • Louise Camrass • Mark McGowan • Matt Calderwood • Micalef • Neil Zakiewicz • Paloma Faith • Piers Wardle • Sadie Frost • Simon Starling • Stephen Gill (photographer) • Tymon Dogg • Vic Reeves • Young British Artists

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 C. West, David; Chappel, Alex (18 February 2009). "MADDIE: NO APOLOGIES". The Hackney Gazette. London: Argent. Retrieved 13/2/10. to state that Decima has faced "universal condemnation" is simply incorrect Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Holland, Jessica (12 February 2008). "Decima-tion in E3 - Shock gallery The Decima Gallery joins an east London art revolution". The London Paper. London: News International. p. 13. Retrieved 7 February 2010. ART for sex, gay claims for Jesus, pantomime cows – all standard fare for infamous London gallery Decima. The space, formerly in a Bermondsey back street, built up a rep in the late 90s for its headline-grabbing stunts. There was the Fuck Art and Pimp exhibition, where Angela Marshall offered her drawings for blow jobs (later unveiled as a spoof), the show Was Jesus a Homosexual?, and the time Decima’s joint curators Alex Chappel and David West gratecrashed the Tate dressed as a pantomime cow to "make people think"
  3. ↑ "London: Pete Doherty turning to Islam". 27 April 2008. Islam in Europe: London. Retrieved 13/2/10. [Pete Doherty] has also failed to impress art experts, with David West, owner of London's Decima Gallery, adding, "It's not got any artistic merit. He's using his blood to make them interesting, but when you look at them they're what any four-year-old can do." Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Jerković, Ana (29 July 2009). "'Decima Gallery' priredili borbu pasa u Ghettu" ['Decima Gallery' organize a dog fight in the Ghetto]. Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). Croatia. p. 29. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sherlock, Peter (16 September 2009). "Row over Stoke Newington Banksy rumbles on". The Hackney Gazette. London: Archant Media. Retrieved 13/2/10. controversial artist group Decima Gallery... disagree. In a joint statement, directors Alex Chappel, Larry McGinity, Mark Reeves, declared "street art is dead." Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rugoff, Ralph (September 1998), "Yours Sincerely: The twisted relationship between artists, journalists and the media", Frieze Magazine, London (42), retrieved 9 February 2010
  7. 1 2 Kutchinsky, Serena (19 October 2009). "Secret East London". Time Out. London. Having abandoned Shoreditch, the capital’s art squads have spent the past couple of years annexing the post-industrial wasteland of Hackney Wick. One former factory has been converted into studios with the Decima Gallery, which specialises in limited edition Gilbert & George prints, the main draw. Keep an eye out for their regular club nights.
  8. 1 2 Cooper, Jeremy (2000). No FuN Without U - The Art of Factual Nonsense. London: Ellipsis. p. 211. ISBN 1-899858-80-6.
  9. 1 2 MACDONALD, MARIANNE (16 February 1996). "On the slippery slope to soap addiction". The Independent. Retrieved 9/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. 1 2 3 4 Locker, Thomas (2000), Hype-Art.
  11. ↑ "It's sick". Bolton Evening News. Lancashire, UK. Newsquest Media Group. 12 July 1996. Retrieved 9 February 2010. THE Dennis Nilsen Tour company - named after the convicted serial murderer - is considering coach holidays to horror sites around Britain
  12. ↑ Ito, Atsuhide (2001). Asis, Inigo; Schwartz, Nicola, eds. Dear, Thank You, Yours Sincerely. The Pocko Collection (illustrated ed.). London: Pocko Editions. ISBN 978-1-903977-00-2.
  13. 1 2 3 Guardian Guide. London. 14 February 1998. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. 1 2 3 Time Out. London. 25 February 1998. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. 1 2 Watson-Smyth, Kate (April 1998). "The Consummate Artist - or just selling sex?". The Independent. London. p. 1.
  16. 1 2 "The painting that comes with sex thrown in". The Independent. London. April 1998. p. 7.
  17. 1 2 Glaister, Dan (April 1998). "Art World's sex venture proves a turn-off for council". The Guardian. London. p. 2.
  18. ↑ Redmond, Kellie (April 1998). "Sex Artist Show end in Turn-Off". The South London Press. London.
  19. 1 2 Hoby, Hermione (19 July 2009). "What a Sham... As the Shamanovs are exposed, we look at the greatest art practical jokes". The Observer. London. p. 3. Retrieved 9/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  20. 1 2 Windsor, John (6 June 1998). "Con artists: Always suspected conceptual art was a bit of a hoax? It is now - spoofing with attitude is taking off all over.". The Independent. London. Retrieved 9/2/10. One of the prime targets of spoof art is the press - those people who can't tell an artwork from a pile of bricks and who keep wittering on about taxpayers' money. Sex-for-art is as good a bait for hacks as holidays- as-art. Angela Marshall, the artist who stipulated sexual consummation with the buyers of her paintings at the Decima Gallery in Bermondsey, south London, in April, turned out to be an imposter. Then the real Ms Marshall turned up and proceeded to do the business. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  21. 1 2 Double, Rachel (21 August 1998). "Stunt 'mooooved' along". Westminster & City mail. London.
  22. 1 2 "Pandora". The Independent. London. 31 March 1999. CALL THE Daily Mail and get them to send a reporter to the Decima Gallery in London's Borough, pronto - there's enough material there to fill the paper for a week.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Sumptor, Helen (19 June 2008). "Rogue Galleries". Time Out. London. p. 18. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  24. 1 2 Bob & Roberta Smith (2008). "Hijack Reality". In Dell, Christopher. Hijack Reality. Introduction by Matthew Collings. London: Deptford X Ltd in association with CT Editions Ltd. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-9547071-2-5. Retrieved 13/2/10. I was recently interviewed by Aaron Barschak. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  25. ↑ http://www.artartartgallery.com/newsitefive/files/u1/feb08artartart1.pdf
  26. ↑ http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Madeleine-image-used-porn-art/article-638042-detail/article.html
  27. ↑ Patrick, Keith (1998). Contemporary Visual Arts (19). London. p. 72. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ "Sex for art". The Indian Express. Bombay. 18 April 1998. Retrieved 8 February 2010. In what would be one of the most outrageous exhibitions ever held in London, an American artist was planning to sell her body as well as her paintings, The Independent newspaper reported on Friday.
  29. ↑ Greer, Germaine (1999). The Whole Woman. London: Doubleday. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-385-60016-3. Retrieved 13/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  30. ↑ "The Wgtn Experiment - Wendy Bornholdt". City Gallery Wellington. Retrieved 13/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  31. ↑ Redmond, Kellie (September 1998). "We are not Amoosed". The South London Press. London. p. 1. A shocking tribute to the late Princess Diana involving a pantomime cow...
  32. ↑ http://www.rartandsete.com "Rart and Sete"
  33. ↑ White, Laura. "Laura White". Goldsmiths University. Retrieved 13/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  34. 1 2 White, Laura; Andrew Renton; Lisa Le Feuvre; Laura U. Marks (2008). The Stuff of Images. Manchester: Castlefield Gallery Publications. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-9559557-1-6. Retrieved 13/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  35. ↑ http://rosecottage.me.uk/OutRage-archives/decima.htm
  36. ↑ http://www.leeds.ac.uk/fine_art/arch/show/1999/degreeshow/index_frame.html
  37. ↑ Martin, Richard (15/5/08). "Art Pops". Meetin.org. Retrieved 1/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
  38. ↑ http://londonist.com/2008/05/decima_editions.php
  39. ↑ http://blip.tv/file/1331634
  40. ↑ The Gentle Author (2010). "So long, Piers Wardle". London: Spitalfields Life. Retrieved 7/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  41. ↑ http://decimatv.blip.tv/file/1555625/
  42. ↑ Peter Sherlock. "Micalef for poet Laureate". The Hackney Gazette. London.
  43. 1 2 Jeffries, Tom (2009). "Britain's Rubbish". Spoonfed Magazine. Retrieved 13/2/10. Yes, that's right, it's party time, courtesy of controversial East End art folks Decima....in order to raise money for Decima's forthcoming Berlin-based exhibition. Britain's Rubbish will examine the state of the nation - corruption, individualism, fear, ridiculousness. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  44. ↑ Bond, Rita (2 November 2009). "Transvestiten, Kunstblut und Gumminasen" [Transvestites, fake blood and rubber noses]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). Berlin. Retrieved 13/2/10. Die britische Künstlergruppe Decima veranstaltet weltweit Art-Parties. Zur Eröffnung ihrer Kreuzberg-Galerie ließen Alex Chappel und David C.West zwei Bands, 5 DJs und 3 Video Künstler tanzen.Gänsehaut bekomme ich von dem ganzen Kommerz-Halloween-Trubel. Check date values in: |access-date= (help).
  45. ↑ http://www.planettitanic.com/Catalogue%20Britains%20Rubbish%20-%20p.pdf
  46. ↑ http://featherhouse.com/?p=32
  47. ↑ http://www.labouchemag.com/issue-three.php?art=91
  48. 1 2 "Decima Projects / Rubbish Christmas / George Tavern". 17 November 2009. The Hackneyist. Retrieved 13/2/10. Buy art, listen to music, drink beer and eat soup and cake at the infamous Shadwell hostelry Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  49. 1 2 http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/london/event/decima-la-bouche-xmas-rubbish-art-fair-and-live-gig/at/george-tavern/
  50. 1 2 "Decima Projects / Smash & Grab". 17 December 2009. The Hackneyist. Retrieved 13/2/10. Award-winning artist Louise Camrass will be exhibiting her work alongside Bulgarian artist Nelly Dimitranova – including films, photographs, paintings and drawings Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  51. ↑ http://he-records.blogspot.com/2009/12/decima-turnip-prize.html
  52. ↑ Jeffries, Tom (2009). "What Happens After The Ball?". London: Spoonfed Media. Retrieved 1/2/10. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

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Coordinates: 51°32′17″N 0°01′24″W / 51.538°N 0.0233°W / 51.538; -0.0233

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