Miles Thurlow: "DEADPAN", The Royal Standard, Liverpool, UK

DEADPAN The Royal Standard, Liverpool, UK Liverpool Biennial 2010 28 October -28 November http://www.the-royal-standard.com Amidst a ridiculous tableau of minuscule beasts, repetitive streaks and a gargantuan lobster, DEADPAN presents several newly commissioned works produced especially for the exhibition. From sloppy seconds to flying willies, aside institutional critique and the highly crafted sleek, DEADPAN expands The Royal Standards exhibition spaces, overflowing with large-scale sculptural works, drawing, installation, animation and performance alongside the inaugural presentation of work within The Royal Standard's Sculpture Garden; brought together for DEADPAN along with key works borrowed from collections including The Black Room, a seminal 7 piece installation by Jamie Shovlin, presented here for the first time on British soil. With a good glug of irony and a sarcastic nod, DEADPAN gives a kick up the arse to the utter mess of an art world at a point of over saturation by questioning strategies used by artists to make new work. Considering mimicry and the referential alongside the blatancy of homage, DEADPAN presents with barefaced cheek a pastichised viewpoint of art with lampooning consequences; providing a glimpse into the dirty world of satire within contemporary art today.  David Sherry Jamie Shovlin Jess Flood-Paddock Jock Mooney Josephine Flynn Laura Ford Laurina Paperina Miles Thurlow Noel Clueit Toby Huddlestone The Royal Standard Unit 3, Vauxhall Business Centre 131 Vauxhall Rd Liverpool L3 6BN