Kevin Reid

(selected by Bedwyr Williams)

Scottish artist Kevin Reid draws on locality, story telling and colloquialism, looking to the everyday for inspiration in favour of art historical references. Notions of remembrance, machismo and childhood, gang mentality, utopian ideology and the psychology of social structures and friendship permeate his multi-disciplinary practice. His work as an artist has always been about taking his work outside of the gallery then 'dragging the results back in again'. Collecting narratives through various means, he playfully re-threads these tales, often exploring the abstract use of narrative within film and performance. Collaboration plays an integral role - many projects would be impossible to develop without the instigation of working networks. Operating in a performative way, he takes on various guises using singular or collective pseudonyms from the flamboyant, bravado fuelled antics of Harry Butler Stuntman Extraordinaire to GANGHUT, a super installation group.

Bedwyr Williams writes, 'Kevin Reid is an artist originally from Fife (The Kingdom) although presently he lives and works in Amsterdam. His work utilizes a whole load of different media -BMX, drawings, sculptures performances etc. and re-introduces childhood heroes, fears and stories into the cold and rude arty present. A lot of artists' work is described as being childlike which usually is shorthand for being a bit of a mess. Kevin's work it seems to me is all about things that as a child you would have wanted to do but didn't have the means or the technology or even the strength. Kevin's some time alter ego, Harry Butler, is an example of this. Half Kendo Nagasaki half Kwik Fit mechanic, Harry performed underwhelming flaming stunts: he jumped through hoops of fire on a BMX from a police auction and told childhood stories about mates and local characters.

In 2004 as part of the Grizedale Arts/PS1 project Romantic Detachment, The Prairie Oysters, of which Kevin was one, toured around America with enormous spud guns, wearing odd lycra. Every morning they followed a keep fit regime designed by a hardened prisoner. GANGHUT You need Backup? You Got it, an ongoing project first seen at Spike Island in Bristol, is adult den-building on a big scale, a collaborative non-hierarchical collective project where overalled artists build their own exhibiting-living space with cinema, stage and watchtower. Confined in the space it becomes a bonding experience but not in the paintballing businessmen sense. GANGHUT visited Australia in 2006 and an incarnation of the project is brewing for summer 2007 in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire.'

Biography

Kevin Reid (b. 1974) studied Time Based Art and has an MSc in Electronic Imaging. His exhibitions/performances include GANGHUT AT SSW, Edinburgh (2006), GANGHUT, Next Wave Festival, Melbourne, Australia (2006), Aw Jock Tamsons Bairns, The Changing Room Gallery, Stirling (2005), Roger & Reid - Return of the Trail of Tears, 2nd Floor Contemporary Galley, Memphis, USA (2005), Every Which Way But Loose, joint show with Amy Marletta, Intermedia Gallery, Glasgow (2005), NON-VIOLENCE, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow (2005) and Prairie Oysters Performance, The Arches, Glasgow (2005). Reid has presented solo shows at Spike Island, Bristol (GANGHUT, 2005), Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (Ring of Fire, 2003/2004) and was selected for the New Work Scotland programme at the Collective Gallery, Edinburgh (2002).

Reid was awarded the prestigious Scottish Arts Council Amsterdam Residency for 2006-2007. During his time in Amsterdam, he explains, he has practiced the piano and the banjo, travelled with the GANGHUT project and has helped to set up the aforementioned 6-month residency with GANGHUT and the Scottish Sculpture Workshop in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire. Other upcoming events for 2007 include the launch of GANGHUT The book! at Spike Island, Bristol in February.

Links

GANGHUT Profile, SSW, Aberdeenshire

Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh - Kevin Reid, Brides of March

December 2006