Passage of the Soul, 2012
Passage of the Soul, 2012
Exeter Phoenix
David Blandy: Passage of the Soul brought together several recent works that explore this ongoing quest, as enacted by a cast of alter-egos that stem from the artist’s passions for kung fu, soul, hip hop and Japanese manga. The exhibition included Child of the Atom; Duels & Dualities: Battle of the Soul Arcade Machine; and the first part of a new, episodic animation Anjin 1600.
Installation views of the exhibition at Exeter Phoenix
Essay by David Trigg on 'Anjin 1600' for Animate Projects
David Blandy: Passage of the Soul was produced by Exeter Phoenix Gallery in association with Animate
Projects and Zabludowicz Collection.
'Duels and Dualities' game: A Naomi 50 Conversion
Working with Stuart Witter, with the generous assistance of arcade parts specialists Gremlin Solutions, this is a series of cabinets for the Duels and Dualities game. The game is based on the alter-egos that Blandy has generated for his previous work, slugging it out in a traditional 2D fighting arena. So far the Barefoot Lone Pilgrim, Orochi Pilgrim, the White and Black Minstrel, the all-powerful Child of the Atom and David Blandy himself have all been rendered as 2D sprite characters complete with special and super moves (except Blandy himself, who only has light and hard punch).
The first cabinet , featuring the full game but with sideart based on the Child of the Atom and David Blandy, was exhibited as part of "Proxy, Or" at Seventeen gallery in July 2011.
Duels and Dualities: Battle of the Soul
Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent,
19 February- 26 March 2011
"Journeymen" David Blandy & Antti Laitinen
AN Review by Rachel Marsden
Journeymen: In Conversation with David Blandy
Duels and Dualities: Artprojx Dojo
Artprojx Space, September 2008
An examination of the quest for the authentic and the spiritual in the ephemeral world of popular culture. Can you ever find the self in the other?
The battle is a fundamental aspect of many underground cultural movements- the M.C. battle, the one on one beat-em-up, cutting heads in a blues guitar duel, or turntabilst vs. turntablist. The Artprojx Dojo explored these legacies, and how the idea of a quest for perfection is pursued through them. Bringing together an array of underground artistic forms, Kung fu and Chanbara flicks, hardcore fighting arcade games, comics and a dub soundsystem, Blandy continues his quest for identity.
Creating an installation that crosses kung fu art emporium and amusement arcade with a fully kitted out range of bins and speaker cabinets by the legendary Manasseh Sound System, Artprojx Dojo featured David Blandy's films, photography, posters, stickers, and kung fu artifacts.
The Manasseh Sound System created a new dub remix soundtrack for Blandy's Samurai Story film.