Introduction

Overview of Exhibition

Exhibition Floor Plan

Room by Room Guide

Introduction to the Gallery Saatchi Gallery was founded in 1985 with the

aim of bringing contemporary art to as wide an audience as possible and make it accessible by providing an innovative platform for emerging

artists to show their work. Since moving to Duke of York’s HQ in 2008 the Gallery has welcomed over 1 million visitors a year and is one of the world’s leading museums on social media.

Overview of ExhibitionSweet Harmony is an exploration of youth movements, rave culture and the rise of Acid House in the UK from the late 80s to current day. This exhibition not only exposes the austerity and revolutionary nature of the underground dance scene but also demonstrates its ability to connect people from all walks of life. Through the lens of vibrant nostalgia these artists capture the free party scene as well as the rise of political activism in a homage to the 30th Anniversary of the Second Summer of Love. The exhibition is filled with dynamic photography from talented artists such David Swindells and Matthew Smith, who expose the fight against the Criminal Justice Act of 1994. Conrad Shawcross’ large scale vehicle installation combined with Vinca Peterson’s bouncy castle make the exhibition a diverse multi-media adventure down the rabbit hole of the British rave scene. Sweet Harmony also seeks to immerse visitors within an environment of absolute freedom and release which James Alec Hardy achieves through video installation and hypnotic kaleidoscope colour loops.

This exhibition focuses on the fundamental driving force behindpirate radio and underground sub cultures which isultimately protest. With Extinction Rebellion and Brexit discussions at the forefront of the UK’s political landscape, Sweet Harmony displays current imagery of this side by sidemedia from the Second Summer of Love…leading the observer to note that there are more similarities than you would expect. Sweet Harmony celebrates freedom of expression whilst not shying away from the dark repercussions of austerity and political subversion.

Features the work of 21 artists including: James Alec Hardy, Tom Hunter, Mustafa Hulusi,Vinca Peterson,Ted Polhemus, Derek Ridgers,Conrad Shawcross,Matthew Smith, Ewen Spencer, David Swindells

Overview of Exhibition: Themes

Political Activism: Protest/ Brexit/ Pirate Radio/ Extinction Rebellion/ Fight

against Criminal Justice Act 1994/ Grassroots organisations

Community: Youth movement/ Dancefloor/ Class breakdown/ Unity

through music / Liberation / Fight against discrimination

Music/ Dance: Underground rave scene/ Electronic/ Pirate Radio/ Grime/

Garage/ Vinyl/ Nightclubs/ Festivals/ Open parties

Urban Scene: Austerity in British towns/ unemployment/ iconography of

small town Britain/ rise of punks in cities

Exhibition Floor Plan

Room OneGetting to the Rave

Room Two Second Summer of Love

Room ThreeFree Party

Room FourNineties to Now

Room FiveHeadspace

Exhibition Floor Plan

Room Eight Protest

Room Six Play

Room Seven Altered States

SHOP

Room TenRave Room

British journalist Sheryl Garrat describes the exhibition as encapsulating the explosion of rave – an explosion which is

still reverberating in our ears today. Garrat most of all praises the feeling of liberation and sense of loving community which

emerged out of the strong desire to cut loose and party. Colin Nightingale and Stephen Dobbie have returned to the Saatchi

Gallery after their success with the Beyond the Road multi-sensory experience in June. They have curated an

experiential room named “Getting to the Rave” which immerses visitors in the journey many party goers went on to reach an unknown but exciting rave location. Nightingale and Dobbies’ input make the art more interactive and accessible,

still leaving work up for interpretation but also very much immersing viewers in a vibrant story.

James Alex Hardy makes a new purpose for old analogue technology by manipulating outdated and discarded

machines into incredible installations. He displays kaleidoscopic video loops overflowing with vibrant colours and shapes not only replicating the trippy nature of party

atmosphere but also leaving viewers feeling slightly hypnotized. Hardy is displayed along side Dave Swindells, a

photojournalist who became completely immersed in the youth tribes and underground music scene of 1980s London.

The candid nature of his work captures the raw emotion behind the all night partying and also draws attention to the

love and breakdown of prejudice within the underground communities. Despite portraying the raw grittiness of the

Second Summer of Love, Swindells’s overwhelming focus is the beauty of the relationships formed by fellow party goers

from completely contrasting walks of life.

There is a vast mix of media in Gallery Three starting with photographer Seana Gavin. Her work differs from Swindells

as it moves away from 80s London and focuses more on the decade following, tracing the spread of rave through the

whole of Europe. Conrad Shawcross and MYLOs’ collaborative piece ‘Lotus’ is an intriguing and electrifiyinginstallation of an upside car. The work is open entirely to

viewer’s interpretation, with music blasting out of the vehicle making it feel as though you’re on your own journey in

pursuit of a party.

Within this gallery not only will you be immersed in rave zeitgeist through animation and photography but also through the presence of Rook Records. The online vinyl specialist will be setting up a functioning record shop featuring disco, afro-house, soul and techno. Whilst getting a chance to dig through these, there will also be fascinating depictions of acid house fashion at its height, through the photography of Ted Polhemus. Shaun Bloodworth also captures the growth of Dubstep and Grime, showing us the roots of these genres which are still so present today. The gallery space is completely brought to life by the videography work of Aida Bruyere, who celebrates the fun rhythmic excitement of Dancehall.

Vinca Petersen’s life is intrinsically intertwined with her artwork. Since her youth she has

meticulously captured and collected snapshots of the manic world surrounding her,

culminating in the creation of a beautifully nostalgic timeline which spans a number of

decades. The timeline is peppered with diary entries, club flyers and film photos, with an

infinite amount of content to unpick and discover. This is displayed side by side

Petersen’s eye-catching bouncy castle, an exciting installation of clashing patterns and vibrant colours. To many a bouncy castle is seen as synonymous with childish glee and

amusement, perhaps even symbolic of innocence. This installation reminds viewers

why there was such a fight to keep rave alive, because it was quintessentially just pure

unadulterated fun.

This gallery can only be described as an incredible sensory overload. Carsten Nicolai not only provides hypnotic trance beats to animate the room, but also displays visual loops of sound waves, making his talent seem more akin to science than an art. Max and Minnie also explore the monochrome style with their large television installation featuring photos from their childhood side by side graphics of salsa dancers from South America. These are contrasted with the incredible images from Ewan Spencer, blown up to a large scale, making visitors feel as though they’re surrounded by happy dancing feet.

Lost Souls of Saturn is an audio and visual installation which invites viewers to step into a studio made of LED

screens and surround sound. Both artists Seth Troxler and Phil Moff are world renowned DJs and incorporate their

immersive beats into their eye-opening video ‘Transmissions’. Focusing on satellites and space, as well

as including fast paced footage from major cities, they provoke viewers to question their place in the world, their

identity and to what extent our thoughts are our own.

An undeniable feature of rave culture is the political activism which accompanies illegal partying. Photographers Smith, Klink and Fisk capture the consistent protesting that has emerged on

the streets of London throughout the last few decades. From fighting the Criminal Justice Act 1994 for the right to free party,

to the marches against Brexit and this year the Extinction Rebellion, these images portray the passion of the British

people to defend what they love, whether it be raving or the planet.

Gallery Ten is more aptly named ‘The Rave Room’ and Project Zoltar have created a completely

transformative party experience. Creators Dan MacMillan, Kieron Livingstone and Caz Osbourne

have combined live DJ performances with graphic design and sculpture work. The finished project

appears as a shrine to acid house and punk rock, with a strong political undertone with the busts of

notable cold war figures Thatcher, Gorbachev and Reagan hanging from the ceiling. Project Zoltar has cultivated an incredible balance of making viewers

feel as though they are attending a vast exciting party, but also being part of a strong political

movement.