All That Is Solid Melts Into Air

Jeremy Deller

Jeremy Deller Introduces you to his take on British pop culture and takes a look back on the industrial revolution in Britain, as you go Round the exhibition It’s up to you to connect the dots and see whether you feel how he does about how the industrial revolution and how it  has influenced us.

The First piece I would like to talk about in the exhibition that I feel really stood out was the video installation on the wrestler Adrian Street.

I feel this was the best piece that gives a fine example of how the impact of the industrial revolution had changed his life. He goes into detail of what life was like working in the mines and how bad it really was. I think this and his poor relationship with his father pushed him into doing something that He may not have done otherwise. He really did not want to come back empty handed from leaving the family business behind and he didn’t. He came back in a pair of tight shiny pants, a wig and I quote “A big fuck you” to his father After winning a world title. He has won countless titles and awards since and had great success throughout his career in Professional wrestling. I feel that Jeremy Deller made this Fit well in the exhibition and I took more away from this  than any of the other pieces.

            Adrian Street and his father, 1973 (photo: Dennis Hutchinson) ©Dennis Hutchinson 

 Upon saying that after going round the exhibition the second Piece I want to talk about is, the Shaun Ryder Family tree. again being able to look back to earlier family occupations it was clear to see again heavy industrial jobs down the line, there seems to be a trend that I have picked up on within this exhibition. It seems the children of these family’s at some point start breaking away from the hard, dirty traditional jobs and look for something different and seems to be those who have had it the worst seem persevere, taking a different path in life  and coming out on top. contributing to the British popular culture, Maybe if Manchester was not an industrial city the Happy Monday's might not have been so good.