War Works

14th April- 8 May 2021

An exhibition from artist David Dunnico, of prints, sculpture, installations, and video inspired by his interest in the First World War’s memorials and
rituals, such as The Cenotaph and Two Minute Silence, and how they affect how we see conflict ‘the war on terror’.

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The exhibition was originally planned to coincide with the annual Remembrance Day commemorations, which this year mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, and the Centenary of the permanent Cenotaph in Whitehall and Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. It is now coinciding with VE Day 2021. 

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Despite the seriousness of the subject and the studiousness of Dunnico’s interest in it, the art is full of dark humour and barbed comment in the tradition of ‘Oh What A Lovely War’, and Spike Milligan’s war memoirs. For many people who have experienced war, absurdity seems the only sensible response.

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We are so familiar with symbols of remembrance such as the Poppy, it takes art like this to jolt us into looking, thinking and questioning what we
take for granted. For many people it will be an education.