VIRGINIA MOCA TO HOST FIRST US SOLO EXHIBITION BY UK ARTIST BARNABY BARFORD

(VIRGINIA BEACH, VA) June 26, 2013 — The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) will host UK artist Barnaby Barford, September 12 - December 29, 2013, known for his work with antique or mass-produced porcelain figures, which he recombines and reassembles into narrative sculpture.

This will be Barford’s first solo exhibition in the US and will feature 30 sculptural works which explore and celebrate the human condition, usually with a sinister or sardonic theme. Included in the exhibition is a morerecent piece from the artist’s latest acclaimed show, Seven Deadly Sins at David Gill Galleries Ltd (London), and a 2008 short animated film Damaged Goods; a tragic love story played out by porcelain figurines commissioned by Animate Projects, a non-profit organization in the UK dedicated to supporting experiments in animation

Barnaby Barford, Happy Meal, 2009.                              

Porcelain, earthenware, enamel paint, painted wooden base, other media.

L100 x D40 x H21 cm. Courtesy David Gill Galleries, London.

“Barnaby is not just a sculptor, not just an artist. He’s a total original, which is why I knew I wanted to work with him.” said UK gallerist, David Gill.

Barnaby draws a portrait of our contemporary lives with an ironic choice of medium. A kitsch figure of a 19th century peasant boy becomes a 20th century teenage thug in a hoodie; rustic maidens dancing on a bed of roses brandish guns; a charming scene of a Victorian family shares a meal of copious buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

                                                                                                                   Barnaby Barford, Come on you lightweight - Down it!, 2007.    

                                                                                                                       Bone china, porcelain, other media.  H29 x L38 x W28 cm.

                                                                                                                                                          Courtesy David Gill Galleries, London.

The exhibition is organized by MOCA and curated by Alison Byrne, Director of Exhibitions and Education at MOCA, and Andrée Cooke, Independent Curator based in London.

Andrée Cooke says: "Barnaby Barford's use of ceramics fuses contemporary application with tradition; his witty use of language and content is a dynamic rare blend which sets him apart from his contemporaries. His style is highly distinctive and provides a critical commentary of western contemporary culture.”

 Accompanying the exhibition will be a full-color catalogue and extensive educational programming, including audio tours, a Master Class and lecture with the artist and tours with area high schools and universities during Barford’s week long residency in November.

In tradition with the museum’s interactive focus, MOCA’s ARTlab will offer visitors the chance to learn more about Barford’s work through hands-on projects, including 30 figurines in various stages of completion from the artist’s studio to create a voyeuristic approach to his process.

Barnaby Barford. Ring-a-Ring-o-Roses, 2009.

Porcelain, enamel paint, painted wooden base, other media.

L100 x D40 x H118 cm. Courtesy Spring Studios, London.

“MOCA is delighted to introduce Barford to new audiences in the United States,” says MOCA’s Alison Byrne, who has been following Barford’s work for several years. “Viewers from all backgrounds can relate to his themes, fostering self-awareness as well as appreciation for contemporary art. A large part of MOCA’s mission.”