Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent

Today is International Peace Day so I thought Peter Kennard's exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery could be an amazing opportunity to bridge art and politics.

‘Archive of Dissent’ counters and protests the status quo with iconic and influential images of resistance and dissent. From the Vietnam war, Anti-Apartheid Movement, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and Stop the War Coalition campaigns in the 2000s, through to the present wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and his ongoing commitment to environmental activism. I am beyond happy that an art gallery is hosting these conversations to be honest.

The exhibition takes the form of an evolving archive, much of which will be presented as printed material displayed on walls, placards, in vitrines or on lecterns. Even you have a bunch of newspapers with his prints for free, art is accessible to everyone.

It dives into the artist’s process of making photo-montages since he started in the 1970s. Inspired by the work of John Heartfield, who pioneered montage as a political tool in the 1930s. The work deconstruct familiar and ubiquitous images and re-imagines them through different formats and scales. The works not only serve to expose the relationship between power, capital, war and the destruction of planet Earth but also to show new possibilities emerging from the cracks and splinters of the old reality. I like this approach, perfect for the format and the medium. Rough between the edges, with a paste up flair that relates to the political action of street art. Also, displaying archival material can get very traditional, mostly using vitrines. But no here. It is like visiting Kennard’s studio vs the front line. It is a call to action right in your face.