For a generation growing up through the 1980s and 90s, do the ideals of previous eras hold special significance? And if a search for idealism characterises the decades just passed, where will we find the values to react in today’s global crisis?

Desiring Necessities presents twelve emerging international artists who explore past iconic moments in culture. The revolutionary spirit often attributed to historic events in art, film and music can attain near-heroic status, yet only exists through second-hand experience. The artists within Desiring Necessities test the strength and relevance of this desire to ‘live the original’, exploring re-enactment, appropriation and irony, and blurring fact with fiction.

Works featured include Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard’s remake of an infamous video documenting The Cramps’ concert at Napa Mental Institute, California, 1979; Susanne Bürner’s 50,000,000 CAN’T BE WRONG, replaying slowed footage of Elvis Presley fans (while never revealing the man himself); and Mario Garcia Torres’ semi-fictitious chronology of cinematic dates, Monochronic Film on a Polychronic Story.

Participating artists: Susanne Bürner (b. Germany, 1970), Marcelline Delbecq (b. France, 1977), Patrizio Di Massimo (b. Italy, 1983), Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard (b. England, 1972 & 1973), Cyprien Gaillard (b. France, 1980), Ryan Gander (b. England, 1976), Mario Garcia Torres (b. Mexico, 1975), João Onofre (b. Portugal, 1976), Olivia Plender (b. England, 1977), Jamie Shovlin (b. England, 1978), Matt Stokes (b. England, 1973) and Conrad Ventur (b. USA, 1977).

Desiring Necessities is a John Hansard Gallery exhibition curated by Ilaria Gianni.