John Powell-Jones: CYBERJUNK at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester

Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
John Powell-Jones: CYBERJUNK at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester
John Powell-Jones, Quantum Loop (Video stil), 2020

John Powell-Jones: CYBERJUNK at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield 17 October — 19 December 2021 Entrance is free — Visit now

John Powell-Jones’ first major exhibition, presented jointly at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester and IMT Gallery in London, takes the artist’s ongoing examination of how dominant ideologies and power structures influence our perceptions of reality a stage further. Through his signature use of speculative fiction (informed by European folklore, body horror, survival horror and science fiction), CYBERJUNK transports visitors to the inhospitable planet of Durt, 1,000 years after the Quantum Crash – a botched experiment that saw the first humanoid quantum teleportation result in a disaster of apocalyptic scale.

Durt is populated by Borgs (the evolved residue of the humanoid teleporter, who became known as Awl-The Original Walker) and their protector, Droer-Carrier of the Maggot, who appear throughout the expansive, museum-like display in the form of comic illustrations, ceramic figures, life-size models and textile pieces. This enigmatic cast of cyborgs, demons and maggots, and the dystopian future they inhabit, become a humorous yet unsettling vehicle through which Powell-Jones offers an incisive critique of the horrors of capitalism and neoliberal ideology that govern so much of our present existence in the West.

CYBERJUNK is characterised by Powell-Jones’ distinctly DIY approach, making use of inexpensive materials, such as cardboard, tape and recycled wood, as well as open-source software. The artist’s favouring of this approach serves as a direct act of opposition towards the dominant model of market production and consumer culture that places the gains of a small human elite and technological progress above the health and wellbeing of Earth and the rest of its inhabitants. A B-movie aesthetic runs throughout, with bright blues, fleshy pinks and slime greens.

True to form, this ambitious exhibition offers a unique and illuminating perspective on the commonly agreed ideas and version of reality that so many of us accept without question. Step into this allegorical world for a different perspective on our own.

John Powell-Jones: CYBERJUNK at Castlefield Gallery, Castlefield 17 October — 19 December 2021 Entrance is free Visit now

What's on at Castlefield Gallery

Where to go near John Powell-Jones: CYBERJUNK at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester

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Cloud 23

Manchester’s Cloud 23, the cocktail bar siting proud on the 23rd floor of the Beetham Tower, boasts unparalleled views across the city.

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Atlas Bar

Situated in the railway arches of Deansgate, Atlas is an elegant, quality bar specialising in nearly 600 gins from around the world.

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The Briton’s Protection

Standing on the corner of a junction opposite The Bridgewater Hall, The Briton’s Protection is Manchester’s oldest pub. It has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally patriotic name The Ancient Britain.

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Indian Tiffin Room, Manchester

Indian Tiffin Room is a restaurant specialising in Indian street food, with branches in Cheadle and Manchester. This is the information for the Manchester venue.

The Life Centre North
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The Life Centre North

The Life Centre, just off Deansgate in Manchester, is a place which offers yoga and Pilates classes for people of all abilities. 

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