Exhibition25.11.202201.05.2023
ON SHOW
FREE

Horror in the Modernist Block

Exhibition25.11.202201.05.2023
ON SHOW
FREE

Horror in the Modernist Block

Modern architecture is often associated with the horror genre. In fiction and film, high-rise towers and concrete buildings form the backdrop to terrifying stories of dystopia. Ikon presents new and recent work by 20 UK and international contemporary artists exploring the relationship between architectural modernism and horror.

The exhibition takes Birmingham as its starting point, a city renowned for its brutalist architecture. It considers how these artists unpack the troubled histories and legacies of modernist buildings through the lens of horror by linking its tropes (suspense, darkness, fear) with qualities of modernist design. Configured in dialogue with the architecture of Ikon’s galleries, it takes viewers on a journey that highlights how the design and features of a building can shape not only our movement and perception, but also our deepest fears.

Artists include: Laëtitia Badaut Haussmann, Simon & Tom Bloor, Ruth Claxton, Shezad Dawood, Ola Hassanain, Ho Tzu Nyen, Richard Hughes, Karim Kal, Kihlberg & Henry, Firenze Lai, Diego Marcon, Ismael Monticelli, NT, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Seher Shah, Monika Sosnowska, Maria Taniguchi, Abbas Zahedi. 

The exhibition and public programme is supported by Fluxus Art Projects, Embassy of the Netherlands, Freelands Foundation, Italian Cultural Institute and The Modern Institute.

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AUDIO Ismael Monticelli Spaghetti Junction Audio
FREE

Exhibition Details

Open Wednesday – Sunday and Bank Holidays, 11am-5pm

Free entry, donations welcome

First, Second Floor & Tower Room

Please note, our Tower Room is only accessible via a stair case

Information on Ikon Gallery’s accessibility is available here

For additional access enquiries please contact learning@ikon-gallery.org

VENUE

Ikon Gallery

1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HS

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Downloads

Document Name
Type
Size
Download
Press Release
pdf
280.9 kB
Artists' Biographies
pdf
365.6 kB
Exhibition Guide
pdf
2.3 MB
Exhibition Guide - Mobile
pdf
21.5 MB
Art Explorer Guide
pdf
939.2 kB

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Birmingham City University Student Showcase
Architecture and Design postgraduate students from Birmingham City University showcase new work made in response to Horror in the Modernist Block.
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Exhibition tour with Lucy Mounfield
Join Lucy Mounfield, Assistant Curator at Ikon, for a tour of the exhibition Horror in the Modernist Block.
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