'Simon Patterson: Under Cartel' at Haunch of Venison

Posted: 16 July 2012 by Sam Phillips

The works of Simon Patterson take a wry look at our conventional classification systems and hierarchies. The British artist’s most famous work, The Great Bear (1992), replaced the stations on the London tube map with those of famous people – each tube line catalogued a different type of figure, from philosophers (Circle Line) to footballers (Jubilee Line).

Installation View from Simon Patterson: Under Cartel © Simon Patterson Courtesy Haunch of Venison. Photography: Jon Day.

His new exhibition at Haunch of Venison focuses on equestrian statues. Patterson has collected together photographs of about 30 different monuments from across the world. He has arranged these photographs in pairs on the wall, flashing neon arrows pointing from one to other. Patterson is suggesting that each pair could swap their locations: Napoleon I in Cherbourg could change places with the Duke of Wellington on Hyde Park Corner, for example, or maybe Joan of Arc in Paris and El Cid in Andalucia could exchanges positions. On the floor underneath each pair of photographs stand one or two other images of equestrian sculptures. These are other alternative options; if Napoleon did not suit the position in London, perhaps Edinburgh’s Boer War memorial to the Royal Scots Greys might work better.

Installation View from Simon Patterson: Under Cartel © Simon Patterson Courtesy Haunch of Venison. Photography: Jon Day

Patterson, of course, is deriding these symbols of national identity. By imagining their locations as interchangeable the monuments lose their sense of purpose. He suggests that sculptures of this sort – whether venerating a monarch, a military leader or the fallen masses – have become generic signifiers for the past without any specific resonance or relevance to the present.

Installation View from Simon Patterson: Under Cartel © Simon Patterson Courtesy Haunch of Venison. Photography: Jon Day.