Atlantica - 01.03.2002, Qupperneq 9

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A T L A N T I C A 7
Crash was born in a pub in King's Cross, London, in January 1997. Since then its artists have taken
influences from music, the media and poor old human nature, and worked them into graphic
images and telling texts. Based around the nucleus of Scott King and Matt Worley, Crash set out to
be “a dissenting voice in opposition to the stifling British media consensus”. They utilise a variety
of mediums and established media sources to aim directly at the public domain. According to them,
they’re “howling at the moon”, but since they haven’t buried their messages under a smokescreen
cloud of ever-expanding art theory, there’s a method to their madness and the work that results is
both direct and unpretentious.
Emerging first in April 1997 in a magazine/poster format, Crash’s first attack was on the 'new lad'
culture of the day. From here, Crash was reinvented in a number of different forms, including an
insert in Dazed & Confused, a one-night exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London,
a week-long art course, billboards and as spreads in The Independent.
Over the past two years, Crash returned to the magazine/poster style to critique the appropriation
of revolutionary iconography, or as they dubbed it, the ‘Prada Meinhof’. Placement in fashion-based
magazines like Sleaze Nation brought a welcomed perspective to this trend of using sham-ideology
for identity enhancement, of which the Cher Guevara cover was a great example.
To mark its fifth anniversary, Crash will be celebrating with a show at Reykjavík’s Gallerí Skuggi.
Musical references never being far from mind, the core duo say they will be “paying homage to
early Echo and the Bunnymen” during their Iceland visit, and there’s a fair chance they’ll see the
inside of the pub while they’re about it.
Crash, 4 to 14 April, Gallerí Skuggi, Hverfisgata 39, 101 Reykjavík. Open: Tues – Sun 13.00 to 17.00.
Direct Hit
CRASH
FROM HERE AND THERE
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