Bob & Roberta Smith's new solo exhibition - You Should Be In Charge, launched last week at the new and independent WORK gallery in London's Kings Cross.
I steal a quick ten phone minutes with the Turner Prize Shortlisted artist to find out a little more.
You Should Be In Charge, controversially and sometimes humorously focuses on Esther's Law - inspired by Jacob Epstein's sculpture of his daughter Esther, the idea is based on proportional gender representation.
Having being raised by his mother and sisters Bob & Roberta Smith never understood why the world of politics was so dominated by middle class white men in suits and why weren't there more women in charge of running the country?
"Women are stewards of society and have a lot more power than we think, we have equality in the home, so why not in politics, we should not be pushed around, politics can be empowering", he adds with a serious yet lighthearted tone.
"Women are stewards of society and have a lot more power than we think, we have equality in the home, so why not in politics, we should not be pushed around, politics can be empowering", he adds with a serious yet lighthearted tone.
The politically fueled pieces include 'The New Magna Carta' - an interactive response to the cuts in arts earlier this year, 'Art Gallery Closed' - a rather comical response to private galleries and 'We Need A New Counter Culture' - suggesting the lack of a good 'under-ground' scene.
Accompanying the work, is a book that sparked off this conversation - I Should Be In Charge - "showing the full breadth of the colourful and explosive contribution of artists Bob and Roberta Smith to the contemporary art scene", to which the artist adds, is an "autobiographical monograph of over five years of investigations, photographs and works exploring Esther's Law", published by Black Dog Books.
Essentially art emancipates us and the key to the exhibition and the book is Esther's Law, when I looked at the sculpture of Esther (by Jacob Epstein), she did not look like she wanted to be interpreted by her father and seemed to stick a sharp pair of scissors into the male hegemonic world."
Essentially art emancipates us and the key to the exhibition and the book is Esther's Law, when I looked at the sculpture of Esther (by Jacob Epstein), she did not look like she wanted to be interpreted by her father and seemed to stick a sharp pair of scissors into the male hegemonic world."
The exhibition quite literally spells out Bob & Roberta Smith's message - 'We/You/I Should Be In Charge' of the decisions made for us. Their brightly coloured sweet shop sign-writing pieces do make an impact, they are often comedic and bite-size, but unfortunately will never get you up off your comfortable sofa to start a revolution. Saying that, I hope that this friendly political approach continues, most of us would rather have the information and make up our own minds and as Bob puts it "I've never been good with people telling me what to do, I'd much rather find out for myself. My work is not preachy, and it's more of a signature than design. I'm not demonizing politics, I just feel we should all take interest".
Coming up at WORK will be a series of innovative and provocative exhibitions and talks, including Bob & Roberta Smith in conversation with Bidisha, journalist, feminist & broadcaster, asking who is really in charge and should 50% of parliament be women by statue?
Exhibition runs until 3rd June 2001.
For more information on Bob & Roberta Smith visit here.
WORK Gallery visit here.
I Should Be In Charge book is available through Black Dog Publishing here.
