November | 2006 | Thomas Kilpper

30 September – 29 October 2006

Pump House Gallery is delighted to invite you to the private view of:

PIGISBACK
Thomas Kilpper
Friday 29 September : 6.30 – 9.00pm
(an organic barbeque will be served)

Exhibition Dates: 30 September – 29 October 2006

Pump House Gallery is delighted to be collaborating with German artist Thomas Kilpper to develop an ambitious site-specific project in and outside of the gallery. This will be the artist’s first significant commission in London since 2001. Kilpper’s projects often respond to the socio-political context of a location, playfully interweaving local histories, current global issues and his political views. For this project he has taken a keen interest in the rich and complex history of Battersea Park and its surrounding environment. In particular he has researched the period when the park was transformed into a pig farm and allotments during World War II, as well as the diverse and unusual use of Battersea Power Station. This includes referencing the photo shoot for the iconic cover for Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ LP, which involved a giant inflatable pig. Through exploring these episodes Kilpper makes allusions to the present situation in Iraq.

The outcomes of this project are eclectic and include the transformation of the gallery’s outside space into an allotment growing organic vegetables created and looked after by Wandsworth Youth Offending Team , a kitchen inside the gallery to cook the resulting harvest and a giant pig sculpture made using trees cut down in Battersea Park. Kilpper has also engaged in a number of exciting collaborations with other artists. He has worked with Lukas Einsele to create a series of photographic works, Alexander Wolff to co- produce a new sound track fusing Pink Floyd with popular 1940’s war time songs and Endre Aalrust in making a film using footage from Monty Python’s ‘The Meaning of Life’ and Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Sabotage’.
Thomas Kilpper was born in Germany in 1956 and has received international critical acclaim for his dynamic and inventive practice. He has developed a number of important projects nationally and internationally, including The Ring, Orbit House, London 2000 in partnership with South London Gallery; Al Hissan, The Jenin Horse, Jenin, Palestine 2003; Ulrike Meinhof, Berlin 2004; Agenda 2010, Berlin 2005 and has been commissioned to make a new work for Momentum 2006: Nordic Festival of Contemporary Art.

Exhibition supported by the The Henry Moore Foundation, Arts Council England, Patrick Heide Art Projects, Goethe Institute Battersea Crime Prevention Panel, Wandsworth Youth Offending Team, Thrive and MFI Kitchens.

Open: Wednesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
Closed Mon & Tues ADMISSION FREE
Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ. T: 020 7350 0523
pumphouse@wandsworth.gov.uk
www.wandsworth.gov.uk/gallery

Release

Late September – October, 2006
Exact dates TBC
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Pump House Gallery London has invited German artist Thomas Kilpper to develop a new project in and outside the gallery. This will include the transformation of the gallery’s outside space into an allotment that will grow organic vegetables, a giant sculpture of a pig made from the trees cut down in Battersea Park and a new sound track fusing Pink Floyd with popular WWII war time songs.

Kilpper’s projects often respond to the socio-political context of a location, playfully weaving local histories and current global issues with his personal political opinions. For this project he has taken a keen interest in the rich and complex history of Battersea Park and its surrounding environment. In particular he has looked at how the urban parkland was transformed into allotments and a pig farm during World War II, as well as the story behind the making of Pink Floyd’s seminal album cover for ‘Animals’, which involved a 30ft tall inflatable flying pig over Battersea Power station.

Making reference to the wartime use of the park an allotment has been created by the artist working with young people in collaboration with Wandsworth Youth Offending Team. These young people are also involved in the gardening and maintenance – growing carrots, potatoes, cabbages, courgettes and pumpkins from seed. During the exhibition in autumn the ground floor of the gallery will become a kitchen and dining area where food from the harvest will be prepared and served to all.
Thomas Kilpper was born in Germany in 1956 and has received international critical acclaim. He has developed a number of important projects nationally and internationally, including Don’t look back, Frankfurt, 1999 The Ring, Orbit House, London 2000; Al Hissan, The Jenin Horse, Jenin, Palestine 2003; Ulrike Meinhof, Berlin 2004; and Agenda 2010, Berlin 2005.

This project has been supported by the Henry Moore Foundation alongside in-kind support from Goethe Institute, Thrive and B&Q.