Zoo is a new touring exhibition of video works and photographs by Richard Billingham.
Commissioned by VIVID, Billingham has developed a large body of works in zoos across the world, including Antwerp, Bristol, Buenos Aires, Dallas, Dudley, Madrid and Rome. Drawing on his acclaimed eye for emotional detail, Billingham has spent considerable time closely monitoring the behaviours of captive animals in different, though always contained, settings.
The exhibition creates a compelling, physical presence in the space and provides an emotionally and psychologically charged experience for the viewer. Zoo poses questions about why we look at captive animals, ‘the natural’ and the artificial, and our physical relationship to these notions.
habitat symposium presentation
On 22 June Billingham presented Zoo as work in progress to a public audience as part of Architecture Week 2006. This presentation provided a rare opportunity for viewers to engage with Billingham whilst he is at a working stage of production.
Billingham was joined by architect and writer Ben Flatman, who has written about the architecture of Dudley Zoo, to contextualise the work and explore the capacity of architecture to oppress and contain its inhabitant.
Audio and visual documentation from this event will be available online shortly
National Tour Information
Compton Verney - 30 Sep - 10 Dec 2006
Accompanying events at Compton Verney:
Richard Billingham will talk about his work, 12 October 7pm £5 / 3.50 concs
Zoo Architecture - Architectural Historian Ben Flatman will look at Zoo Architecture including Lubetkin's enclosures at Dudley Zoo, 26 October, 7pm £5 / 3.50 concs
Junk Animals - childrens workshop, 14 Oct and 18 Nov 11am-4pm £10
Repeat and Rewind - Childrens workshop, 26-27 October 11 am - 5pm, £25
Fishtank - Screening of Billingham's first film commissioned for BBC2, 30 Nov, 7pm
£5 / 3.50 concs
For further information on these events please contact Compton Verney
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery - 27 Jan - 22 Apr 2007
Wolverhampton Art Gallery - 16 Sep - 11 Nov 2007
An accompanying publication is available at £25 + P&P
To order your copy please email info@vivid.org.uk
