July 5th – July 19th 2012
A-side B-side Gallery, Hackney Downs Studios, 5-9 Amhurst Terrace, Hackney LONDON E8 2BT
Tinsel Edwards & Twinkle Troughton present their first ever Mini Retrospective, a rare opportunity to see a large selection of works by the dynamic art duo.
‘Tinsel and Twinkle have kidnapped a banker, holding him to ransom for the duration of the private view for their exhibition!’.
Bespoke ‘Tinsel and Twinkle’ bank notes will be handed out to the public during the opening of their show. Guests will be asked to respond to the global economic crisis by writing their solutions, opinions, emotions and thoughts onto these bank notes. The money will then be pinned around the banker forming an insightful display.
This is the first retrospective by the art duo and is also an amazing opportunity to see a large cross section of their work, including previously unseen pieces, and a selection from the back catalogue. This is also a chance to re visit previous art stunts – Tinsel and Twinkle as Traffic Wardens giving away free art, and the wonderfully acclaimed ‘Opinionated Objects’.
Their record label ‘Pushing Pussy Records’ and associated paraphanalia will also be on display alongside documentation of ‘The Fairies Band’, a band they performed in, wrote music for and went on two New York tours with. The fairies band was a lively eight piece garage rock band and included two other fairies, Tinky and Sparkle. It thrived from 2001 and 2007.
The artists have chosen to present their ‘mini’ Retrospective fairly early on in their careers. The works on display offer an insight into their individual artistic concerns. Social and political themes dominate the show, illustrating their quest to highlight, expose and question; bringing contemporary issues to the forefront.
Tinsel & Twinkle met when they were 9, over a pot of poster paints at their first school. Since that fortuitous meeting they have spent years collaborating and exhibiting their art works including identical degree shows at their universities, Tinsel was at Goldsmiths and Twinkle at Kingston. They work as individual artists but sharing a history and similar creative concerns, they often join forces to collaborate on projects and exhibit together.
Tinsel’s passionate ideology as an artist is rooted in a desire to create works which question and challenge social and political issues. Her commentary is a personal response to social injustice. Incorporating text into her paintings, the works are littered with action statements, personal mottos, questions, observations and anecdotes, reflective of her earnest approach to dealing with serious concerns.
Twinkles work has been inspired by social political issues in Britain both now and as it existed decades and centuries ago. Recently her work has become more universal in it’s consideration. Often satirical and usually political, the content carries dark undertones and attempts to shine a light on where the Human condition repeatedly remains in the dark.
All of the original works in Mini Retrospective are for sale, as are limited edition prints.
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