Simon Munnery's Exhibition 'What Am I?' Explores Comedy-Art Intersection at Stroud Valleys Artspace
Simon Munnery’s inaugural gallery exhibition, titled 'What Am I?', is being held at Stroud Valleys Artspace from 8 August to 26 September 2020. This showcase includes video pieces and paintings that delve into the interplay of comedy and art, inspired by a review of his stand-up from 2006. One of the videos features Munnery examining a Venn diagram that intersects 'comedy' and 'art', with his paintings highlighting 'my show' at that convergence. Among the works displayed is 'Monkey Reverie', a collection of 11 photographs depicting Munnery in a monkey suit, alongside a spoof of Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'. Co-curated by Andy Holden, the exhibition also nods to artists Bas Jan Ader and Keith Arnatt, reflecting Munnery’s signature absurdity.
Key facts
- Simon Munnery's first art exhibition 'What Am I?' ran from 8 August to 26 September 2020
- The exhibition was held at Stroud Valleys Artspace in Stroud
- Works explore the relationship between comedy and art through Venn diagram motifs
- Includes video works, paintings, and photographic series 'Monkey Reverie'
- Co-curated by artist Andy Holden and Simon Munnery
- References a 2006 review describing Munnery's comedy as 'the closest that comedy gets to modern art'
- Features parody of Bob Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' (1965) with cue cards
- Mentions conceptual artists Bas Jan Ader and Keith Arnatt as influences
Entities
Artists
- Simon Munnery
- Andy Holden
- Bas Jan Ader
- Keith Arnatt
- Stewart Lee
- Caroline Aherne
- Bob Dylan
Institutions
- Stroud Valleys Artspace
- ArtReview
Locations
- Stroud
- United Kingdom