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From: PRESS RELEASE Category: ArtExhibitions Date: 16 June 2009 Time: 06:28 AM Review: PLASTIC LIFE: PART 5 21 June – 16 August 2009 Private View Sunday 28th June 12-2pm Artist Nigel Grimmer turns the traditional family album on its head Sheffield Fine Art graduate, Nigel Grimmer, launches Part 5 of his Plastic Life exhibition series at the Harley Gallery with ten new pieces on show for the first time. ‘Nigel Grimmer takes the stuff of personal and pop obsessions and builds up narratives that are as touching as they are daft.’ Robert Clark, The Guardian Plastic Life features two collections of photography Roadkill Family Album and Places I Call Home. The exhibition also includes new sculptures that form the start of a new series, Minor Monuments. Nigel’s work concerns narratives from his own life. His most famous work is The Roadkill series, an alternative to the traditional family album. In these images he emphasises the posed and unnatural style of family snapshots by making his own alternative vision. In his photographs his family and friends wear joke shop masks and pose at kerb sides like road kill; his mother appears as an owl, his father as a frog. Taken at an event or time a normal snapshot would, such as holiday or outside a new home, these amusing and odd images still serve the role as a memento. "It's all about questioning family photography and highlighting the constructed nature of the images." Says Nigel. Nigel’s new sculptural works, Minor Monuments recreate memories for which no snapshots exist. His largest work, Jubilee, represents a street party he attended as a young boy. The work features hundreds of pieces of vintage dolls house furniture, set out in line along a four-metre plinth. I remember being there, that everyone from the village was there. I remember we all took tables out to the village green. I remember that you got a coin and a mug, with the Queen's face on it. BUT now I ask my parents about it they tell me that they didn't go, my Mum thinks she was ill. HOWEVER they do all remember that I went, but no one remembers whom I went with! If only there was a snapshot to record the moment, there's no one to ask... Nigel will be at the Harley installing his exhibition on the 19th June. He will be available for interview and photography. Notes to editors For further information or images please contact: Susan Sherrit: 01909 501700 ssherrit@harley-welbeck.co.uk www.harleygallery.co.uk www.nigelgrimmer.com Harley Gallery Welbeck, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 3LW Open 10-5pm daily including weekends and bank holidays, admission free