Exhibitions2019Auto-Destruct

Auto-Destruct was a Summer Exhibition by Cross Lanes project relating to and reflecting upon the nature of our aspirational technological inventions and the destructive nature they become. Many of the works included regard the automobile as the device seen as liberation, independence, a revolution for mankind; that has in fact led to wars, contributed to climate change and is responsible for over 3000 deaths a day.

The exhibition’s title was inspired by the work of Gustav Metzger (1926 – 2017). Metzger’s career was about alerting us to the risks in our deluded pursuit of technological progress, and of humans being eclipsed by their machine selves. Auto-destructive art was inherently political; also carrying anti-capitalist and anti-consumerist messages. The exhibition examined themes of our fascination and capacity to be seduced by world changing inventions and technologies that may or may not lead to improvements.

Turk’s Transit Disaster (2012) was presented alongside works by: Steve Carr, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Cedric Christie, Jean Luc Dubin, Lee Holden, Graeme Miller, Simon Liddiment, Stacie McCormick, Elena Montesinos, Owen Oppenheimer, Ben Philpott, Jay Price, Pascal Rousson, Rebecca Scott, and Tisna Westerhof.