The Magma Group are a group of international artists living and working in London.
They staged a public performance outside Tate Modern on the 2nd April, coinciding with the press view for the Damien Hirst show. The purpose of the performance was to explain the group ethos. This proposes that in contrast to Hirst’s work which is purely conceptual The Magma Group want to bring together concept and expression, thereby adding the heat of the expressive force to the cerebral cool of current conceptual art. Mark Lawson presenter of Radio 4’s “Front Row” arts programme asked a colleague whether he managed to cross the picket line, formed by Magma’s “demo” It seems the event has been re-interpreted by the media somewhat evolving into a quasi political statement about the art establishment.
The demo accomplished what it had set out to do by pointing out the disproportional media attention and money spinning angles that a cash cow like the Damien Hirst show generates. The Magma group are planning several exhibitions /performances of their work in the future to coo inside with the 2012 Olympics. Via: ArtLyst.com