A contemporary social historian could do worse than start with the work of Jeremy Deller. For a conceptual artist he is the least theoretical of the tribe. You can jump on his life size Stonehenge bouncy castle. You can be immersed in the events of Orgreave during the last miner’s strike, arguably the most important event in the power shift of the Thatcher and post-Thatcher years. Jeremy Deller plunges us into the topically controversial with enthusiasm. The book says welcome to our world.
This book is a celebration of Jeremy Deller’s art. There is no dust jacket, straight to the narrative and, as importantly, the illustrations. One of Cheerio’s previous art books by James Birch, Bacon In Moscow, took the same care with the book as art object. So what do the illustrations show; Deller’s early years when he opened his parents’ house as his first museum; a fascination with the immediate slogan like Facebook advertisements; the ability of the artist to quietly orchestrate his Acid Brass piece; and his appearances, almost in the crowd for his Orgreave re-enactment scenes. He isn’t apart from his creation but part of it.
Initially there is something surreal about combining the music of Acid House with a brass band but when you see the photographs and the mind map, you can see the enthusiasm with which this project develops, yoking together heterogenous ideas. But Jeremy Deller wouldn’t put it like that.
One of the abiding features of the work is its humour, sometimes black in its effect. At The Butterfly Ball the strains of “Thus Spake Zarathustra” merged with “Roll Out The Barrel.” High culture meets pub culture in a few seconds and this is the effect of the book. In appearance it has all the immediacy of the old Shoot football annuals. Take this interview between Jonny Banger and Jeremy Deller:
JD: Did you study art at school or receive encouragement when you were young?
JB: No, just from a record shop in Colchester where I did work experience, I was raised by elders there, making zines and selling records.
Any Cop?: Finally, would you recommend the book? Yes. Would you read it again? Yes. I have done. How would you sum up the book? I’d use someone else’s words as the book has many quotations and borrowings, some made up (see the footnote about Tristram Shandy on page 353). David Byrne of Talking Heads said of Jeremy Deller, “ His work is hilarious and touching.” Is he like anyone?
Yes. Himself.
Bookmunch 