A Roadside Exhibition by Stewart Kendrick

We're taking this one to the streets Freddos! We pulled over on the side of the road and here we are...

A week or so ago, I noticed Stewart promoting the spectacle across social media. I reached out, asking "Why?" "Why a roadside advertising billboard?" "Why there?". My curiosity was piqued, I was intrigued, it reminded me of the icon Angelyne who booked out a series of LA billboards in the 80's, anyway moving on.

Stewart came back to me stating that he'd seen the advertising screen displaying a St. Georges flag. The area had been flooded with them, including the adjacent road island next to the screen. 'Be English, be proud of it' is what was printed across the flag, Stewart took it upon himself to promote love in its place, in the form of his collages.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/df53bc_9963b30c4f8e4d9086f8c191863cbfe0/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

"Our relationship with the flag is a funny one & it's predominantly been sort of hijacked by the right for many years and always with negative emotions attached."

"I just thought that what with the flags on the island and on the board too that it left a negative perception of Wolves to passers-by but it's an amazing diverse city."

"Thats where the idea of the 'Love' exhibition came to me."

British humour always rises to the occasion and Stewarts collages really lean into that. It's this humour that I feel has more cultural relevance to the country than what the right depict. His collages use short, bold statements to translate a message instantly with just a glance, which is ideal for a quick drive-by. People respond to what they recognise so pairing a political wordplay with comic pop-art illustrations has a big impact. It's what makes Stewarts work a favourite of mine, his use of playful colours, fun illustrations and in some cases raunchy imagery that demands the attention from the viewer.

In a world where exclusivity dominates the art space, I love seeing artists out in the real world, turning mundane tasks like driving home from work into stumbling upon art in what becomes an urban, open-air gallery, especially when that art is targeted to challenge opposing minds. It reaches a completely different demographic, people who might never step foot in a gallery, but who still deserve to be challenged, engaged, and included.

This is what public art should do! Interrupt and provoke. Stewart flips the script with humour and warmth rather than anger. If you'd like to see more of Stewarts work you can find him over on Instagram @stewartkendrick14