Stuart Bailey - Straight Edge
Hell Gallery
Opening Friday March 28th, 6pm till late
29 March - 26 April 2008
Robert Cook wrote about Straight Edge when it wasincluded in OLD SKOOL (NEVER LOSE THAT FEELING) atPerth Institute of Contemporary Art in December 2007: Stuart’s practice is wild and freeform, includingboth massive wall paintings in a Beatle Baileyaesthetic and, more recently, quirkily sculpturaloutings that investigate the discursive and emotionalstatus of culture-making. His work for this show is are-presentation of the Minor Threat logo. Minor Threatwere a band led by Ian MacKaye and established inWashington DC in 1980. They were known for songs thatwere fast, furious and lasted about one and a halfminutes. They were punk but faster and tighter, maybethey were new punk or something. Certainly, they were‘anti consumerism’ in a big way. They initiated the‘straight edge’ movement: no sex, no drugs, nodrinking, no f__king. That was the deal. They wouldnot give interviews in magazines that had ads forcigarettes or alcohol. They were keeping it real, withtheir music and social actions like selling cheap CDsand having cheap door sales. It was about keeping thespirit of music alive and real instead of followingthe usual idea about success, moving on to stadiums,getting ads for consumer goods, etc.
