Mythomania

Canadian artist Ian Kirkpatrick uses graphic design software to produce intricate 2D and 3D artworks out of materials including stainless steel, vinyl, corrugated cardboard, Perspex and Dibond.

The surfaces of his pieces are filled with complex iconographies drawn from past and present, remixed into commentaries about pressing social themes such as war, climate change and migration.

About the Exhibition

Funded by a grant from Arts Council England, Mythomania was a new body of 2D and sculptural work which explored humanity’s ongoing fascination with mythical narratives – from ancient Greek legends to modern superheroes and ’fake news’.

The large-scale sculptures allude to ancient monuments, dragons and robots – whilst the surface of his artworks reflect our culture’s continuing obsession with epic takes on heroes, villains, utopias and impending apocalypse.

The work draws cultural connections across time and space, identifying parallels between present-day global societies and ancient civilisations, and aims to show how myth is still a vital force in culture, acting as a lens for contemporary societal aspirations, fantasies and fears.

Several of the artworks have been created using manufacturing processes and materials which are new to Ian. These include two large-scale ‘soft’ sculptures made of printed tarpaulin, leather and canvas, sculpted into monolithic forms recalling contested antiquities such as the Elgin Marbles, as well as modern fashion goods.

For this exhibition Ian also created ‘Sun King’, a monumental sculpture which draws its inspiration from several ancient and contemporary ‘hero’ figures, including Hercules, samurai warriors and Transformers.