KK Outlet try their hand at a note more aggressive than passive
Anybody who's ever lived in student digs, or house-shared with strangers (that'll be anybody who's ever resided in London, then), or coped in work environments with "difficult" colleagues: you need to go to this show. Spawned from the website of the same name, Passive Aggressive Notes brings together, in the spirit of Found Magazine, a wild and frequently hilarious collection of Post-Its, letters, flow-charts scrawls, screeds, and primal screams left by housemates or employees for their peers at home or work.
The most entertaining aspect is of self-recognition in the petty disputes that unfold: sure, we've all been the peeved party when our flatmate repeatedly plays loud music 'till the wee hours, but have we ever written said flatmate an A4 page of thick text in which we promise to "fuck him up" and "make his life a living hell", as 'Brad' does to 'Chad' here? Similarly, we may feel uncharitable for not having wished for "Christ to be [a] personal saviour" to the trouble soul who stole our "heath bar Klondike bars" (sic), but can perhaps take succour that we've never taken the option (as seems popular here) of solving the ever-troubling "who drank my milk?" debate by writing notes that boast of prior expectoration into said vessel.
The presentation in the gallery is straightforward, with expository Post-It notes trying to out-snark the already snarky material. A simple approach, though one that becomes less effective as you move through the gallery onto the workplace-inspired missives, as it avoids any deeper contemplation of what this material says about our co-habiting culture, relying instead on frat-boy irony and hipster insouciance. But if you've ever lived under the scrutiny of one of these poison pen-wielders or, heaven forbid, written them yourself, this show offers the perfect catharsis.
Passive Aggressive Notes, at KK Outlet, Hoxton Square, N1 6PB (map). Until June 30th. Free.
