The Stuckists: Punk Victorian

The Walker Art Gallery
18th September 2004 - 20th February 2005

Reviewed by Adam Ford

"Your paintings are stuck, you are stuck! Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" lamented postmodern artist Tracey Emin when confronted with boyfriend Billy Childish's shameless refusal to move with the artistic tide. Spurred on by this 'insult', Childish gathered a group of likeminded painters to produce 'anti anti-art' and stick two fingers up to the new artistic establishment.

Perhaps as an antidote to the somewhat po-faced John Moores 23 exhibition next door, the Walker is showing a massive collection of Stuckist art, consisting of 230 paintings. Restricted to just one room, this collection conveys a sense of claustrophobia that may be deliberate or just the result of being restricted to just one room. Crammed full of strong, striking images, the viewer is treated to incredibly bold colours and even bolder subjects. A gang of skeletons haunt the dole office (Philip Absolon's 'Job Club'), Myra Hindley babysits for a grateful mother (Jane Kelly's 'If We Could Undo Psychosis') and Tara Palmer-Tompkinson is elevated to the sainthood.

Due to the controversial nature of some of the artwork, admission is restricted to adults only.

To read the Stuckist manifesto, visit http://www.stuckism.com/stuckistmanifesto.html