Stuart Middleton's 'Beat' at ICA London strips gallery to bare architecture, featuring a looping video of a black dog

Stuart Middleton's exhibition titled 'Beat' took place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London from 6 May to 2 July, exploring the intersection of artwork and architecture. The lower gallery showcased exposed steel and masonry, with an invigilator positioned on a wooden platform against a backdrop of burnt ochre brickwork. Meanwhile, the upstairs gallery featured a large screen displaying a stop-motion animation of a black dog engaging in routine activities. This exhibition draws parallels to Joseph Beuys's 1974 performance, Jean Genet's commentary on Giacometti's dog sculpture, and Marcel Duchamp's 'R. Mutt' from 'Fountain' (1917). Accompanying the exhibition, Middleton's short story critiques overlooked creativity in 'motorway network hospitality,' concluding with the phrase 'I quit.' The September 2017 issue of ArtReview included a review of the exhibition.