Eva Lis Positive/Negative Polarities of Woman
Whilst the show's press flirts with 'violence without detail', 'frightening sequences' and other Rated PG material, once you get to the gallery (which can take a while to find, as it’s inside an ordinary house), a toilet seat hanging off the wall and entitled "Potty Training" may not be what your imagination had hoped for.
Similarly, Molly Smyth's "Figure On Tower" appears to be doing wonders for the stationery industry, whilst Jonathan Batten's "INRI" has a sense of lazy deja vu about it. Most of the show tries hard to be evocative, but instead ends up sliding into a vacant "ooh aren't I clever" sense of direction. Sardine + Tobleroni's "Charity Shop Series" is an example of this, its Banksyeqsue intentions turning it into a Where's Waldo, whilst their Hitler/Mother Teresa paintings plead to be so much more than obvious.
Chiara William's piece on bathrooms meanwhile leaves you scratching your head and wondering where the craft of art making has gone in the 21st century. Perhaps the only guidance you will need on a visit is imagination guidance.
By Tommy Wong
PG: Parental Guidance is at WW Gallery at 30 Queensdown Road, E5 8NN, until 5 April 2009.
