Michael Dean’s Kicking Die: An Immersive Play with Concrete and Reflection
Michael Dean’s exhibition ‘Kicking Die (To Scale With a Ladder)’ at Herald Street transforms concrete into an immersive playground. The show features playful installations, including a thousand coloured dice, inviting viewer interaction. Mixing themes of politics, society, and personal experience, Dean’s work challenges traditional narratives and inspires reflection on one’s role within the broader context.
Michael Dean’s latest solo exhibition, ‘Kicking Die (To Scale With a Ladder),’ at Herald Street, London, introduces a fresh take on concrete, which he dubs the ‘democratic ceramic.’ In this sixth showcase, the entire gallery space oscillates between forms—walls morph into floors, and floors into playing fields—creating a vibrant, immersive experience.
Arguably the showstopper, ‘Kicking Die (One Thousand Die),’ sets the stage with plastic dice strewn across the gallery’s floor. This spectacle evokes childhood memories, as viewers navigate through a chaotic sea of colour—kicking and wading through the installation just like kids on a playground. It’s a wild invitation to re-engage with playful abandon.
Dean employs a red, white, and blue palette reminiscent of colonial heritage, featuring concrete ladders scattered throughout. This clever placement intertwines the familiar with the chaotic, inviting visitors to roll the dice and reconsider their spatial orientation amid the confusion of tiled floors and concrete walls. The ladders double as grids evocative of board games, snake skins, and even traditional tile arrangements.
There’s an undeniable sincerity in Dean’s work, amplified by a compelling press release penned by Émilie Streiff. He emphasises how writing shapes his artistic vision, saying, “Writing is always central to my work.” In an insightful twist, Dean merges concepts of climbing and shedding skin with modern communication, inferring that words have morphed with contemporary interpretations, connecting viewers’ experiences to both nature and text.
In his installation ‘Unfuckingtitled (not to be young not to get old),’ Dean captures the essence of empty political rhetoric through a void-like spider web and a lead balloon—created from a medium typically associated with weighty ground. Here, he channels Neil Kinnock’s defiant words from a past speech, critiquing the futility of such statements from figures like Margaret Thatcher. The void draws the viewer into a reflective space, leaving them contemplating their own position within societal constraints.
The exhibition cleverly interweaves themes of empire, class division, and urbanism, all while engaging with playful elements. It doesn’t just showcase art; it beckons viewers to participate actively. Dean explains, “The decision to place the game ‘Kicking Die’ at the centre of the exhibition could be attributed to an attempt to implicate the viewer in an experience of the exhibition.” This notion reinforces the idea that we, indeed, are part of the narrative.
Michael Dean’s ‘Kicking Die (To Scale With a Ladder)’ at Herald Street adeptly fuses playful elements with profound social commentary. By inviting viewers into his installations, Dean challenges them to engage and reflect on their own implications within society. The exhibition stands out not only for its unique design but for its thoughtful critique of political rhetoric and class structures, making it a not-to-be-missed experience in London’s art scene.
Original Source: whitehotmagazine.com
