Open Frequency 2007: Gordon Dalton selected by Bedwyr Williams

Open Frequency 2007: Gordon Dalton selected by Bedwyr Williams Gordon Dalton, The Monkey Hanger, 2006. Painted timber, gorilla suit

Artist Bedwyr Williams profiles the work of artist, writer and curator, Gordon Dalton


Gordon Dalton is equally fascinated and disappointed with our surrounding culture. This shifts uncomfortably between attempts at greatness and contentment with a more sedate way of life. Dalton's work utilises this acute identity crisis, playing in the gaps between our aspirations and circumstances, the everyday and the mythic, and between success and failure.

Using an often predetermined set of guidelines, restrictions and intuitive improvisation, the work is both formal and frustratingly incoherent. Dalton plays with our highly developed understanding of popular culture, creating a series of real and fictional networks of relationships between diverse objects, references and situations. However, this is not a puzzle to be solved or unlocked. Dalton's aesthetic and conceptual hall of mirrors bounces the spectator between extremes of naivety, mean-spirited sophistication, calculated ugliness, the sublime and the ridiculous.

Whilst full of possibilities and hope, there is a refusal here to meet expectations or any notion of clarity. Dalton deliberately underlines that the only guarantee on offer is doubt and disappointment.

Unapologetically nostalgic and sentimental, Dalton embraces his position as an artist with embarrassment. His work manages to combine humour with a dour melancholic edge, and understands that this is as good as it gets. Dalton's work wants everything to be alright, but that is clearly not the case.

Bedwyr Williams, June 2007


Artist's biography 

Gordon Dalton studied at the University of Northumbria, Newcastle from 1997-99 (MA Fine Art) and is an artist, writer and curator. Early curatorial projects include Strange at Vane, Newcastle (1998), We Interrupt this programme, Changing Room, Stirling and Waygood Gallery, Newcastle (2002), Masters of the Universe at Chapter, Cardiff (2003) and Ain't no love in the heart of the City (CBAT Gallery and public sites throughout Cardiff). More recently, Dalton curated Another new Babylon (CBAT/public sites, Cardiff) and Things we lost in the fire, Transition Gallery, London (2006).

Selected exhibitions include Shattered Love, Keith Talent Gallery, London (2004), Over & Over, Again & Again, CAC, Lithuania (2005), Sci-fi, MOT, London (2005), Born under a bad sign, Collective Gallery, Edinburgh (2005), Spectator T, Art Sheffield 05 (2005), Flourish, Moravian Gallery, Brno (2006), Gift, Museum MAN, Liverpool Biennale (2006), Battle of Forest Hills, Moot Gallery, Nottingham (2006), This show is ribbed for your pleasure, Cynthia Broan Gallery, New York (2006), Black Light, Colony Gallery, Birmingham (2007), Oh show me your love, Galerie Skuc, Llubjiania (2007),Things we lost in the fire, City Gallery, Leicester (2007) and TheThatness of Wild, Bloc Gallery, Sheffield (2007).

Upcoming exhibitions and projects for 2007 include Among the living, MK Gallery, Milton Keynes and tour, Everyone knows this is nowhere, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester and Gorilla Lipstick, Bank Art, Los Angeles.

He lives and works in Cardiff and is represented by Keith Talent Gallery, London.


About Bedwyr Williams

Artist Bedwyr Williams represented Wales at the 2005 Venice Biennale with a project called 'Basta'. Bedwyr's work involves stand-up comedy, sculpture and painting, posters and photography.

He recently gave a performance at Camden Arts Centre, London and has exhibited at Chapter, Cardiff and PS1 in New York.

In 2006 he will start at residency at Mercer Union, Toronto. In November 2005 STORE presented his first solo exhibition in London, Tyranny of the Meek.

Bedwyr is short listed for Becks Futures 2006. He lives and works in Caernarfon.


Open Frequency keeps you in touch with new developments in contemporary art practice from across the UK. The artists are selected and profiled by leading curators, artists and writers, presenting the work of artists to watch out for over the coming year. Open Frequency represents a forward-looking glance today of the artists who will be setting the agenda tomorrow.