John Hyatt: Rock Art at HOME
Polly Checkland Harding
The word ‘exhibition’ becomes something of a catch-all term when it comes to John Hyatt: Rock Art at HOME. This major solo show of new work by John Hyatt – artist, musician, author and scientist – in fact features a pop-up music club (Club BIG), a public library (where you can enjoy a limited edition of ‘Hyatt-as-a-blend-of-tea’) and a shop (‘an orgy of ego and merch’ worthy of Monet’). Riffing in a multi-form way on identity and the notion of the lone genius, Rock Art is as chaotic and involving a show as you’d expect from a man who was formerly one third of infamous art rock band The Three Johns (“Rock ‘n’ Roll Versus Thaatchiism” – an album sleeve, a slogan, a straight-up dig at Thatcher and Saatchi & Saatchi marketing).
Live art is at the heart of this endeavour, with the point being that the public gets involved; there will be regular free events, with Hyatt himself as Club BIG’s MC, as well as a preview night featuring live music and poetry from Jon Langford with Barkley McKay, Rosie Garland, Tom Hyatt with Maya McCourt and even The Three Johns themselves. Rock Art? Rock on.
