Last week, whilst meeting a friend in London, we stumbled across the latest Artangel project, near Warren Street. Situated within and beneath an active building redevelopment, Daniel Silver’s ‘DIG’ takes you into a strange world of oddly-proportioned scultpted figurines. As you approach the site, you move down a concrete slope that would otherwise carry vehicles delivering construction materials. The openings in the concrete structure teases visitors with glimpses of the exhibits as you approach the entrance.
On arrival in the low ceilinged concrete space which is open to the ligh on one side, you are faced with what resembles a museum storage space, filled with a ‘collection’ of forms that appear half-formed or in transition. Some of the figures are humanoid in nature, whilst others appear to be the stuff of recurring nightmares. DIG explores the use of figures as deities, protection against the spirit world, encouraging fertility or to appease the gods. It’s no wonder that Silver was inspired by Sigmund Freud’s collection of sculptures from Vienna, now residing in his Hampstead house.
Intriguing, powerful and well worth a look. Check out the website, here.
