The Big Win - 2011

The Big Win: A Modern Morality Tale

10 September – 2 September 2012

Barnaby Barford, the artist who creates unique ceramic narrative pieces reflecting today’s society, has been commissioned to produce a series of sculptures at the Laing Art Gallery. 

The Big Win: A Modern Morality Tale will tell the story of a ‘layabout’ striving to live a celebrity lifestyle who wins the lottery. Charting his rise and fall as his money runs out, the sculptures will explore our insatiable appetite for celebrity culture and living beyond our means. Loosely based on the narrative of ‘A Rake’s Progress’ by 18th century artist William Hogarth as well as the themes inherent within the Laing’s 18th and 19th Century Permanent Collection, Barnaby Barford’s The Big Win also depicts contemporary society’s problems and experiences such as gambling and luxurious living.

Producing six out of the seven sculptures, Barford will leave the completion of the seventh for the Laing’s visitors to contribute their own ideas of how the story should end.  These ideas will be displayed in the Gallery where one will be personally chosen by Barford to make into a sculpture, forming the final piece of the story. 
Julie Milne, curator of the Laing Art Gallery says:
“The Big Win is a collection of sculptures bringing together an interactive element at the Laing which encourages members of the public to get creative.  We hope this will persuade visitors to question topics such as happiness, friendships and money, all of which are reflective in the Laing’s collection of historic art.  

“It’s exciting that our visitors will have this opportunity to take part in this new installation and we also look forward to working with him.”

Barford works with both mass-market and antique found porcelain figurines, cutting up and exchanging elements or adding to them and repainting them.  Following in the tradition of Hogarth, Chaucer, Dickens and Shakespeare; with a dark sense of English humour and satire, Barford's work explores and celebrates the human condition. Through his unique works, Barford explores all aspects of society by provoking and appalling whilst at the same time making us laugh.

Commenting on the Big Win: A Modern Morality Tale, Barnaby Barford says:

“The ideas proposed by the visitors are just as important a piece of art as the sculptures themselves.  It is vital with projects like this to engage the public in new ways.  

“By placing this series of sculptures at the Laing Art Gallery, I want to encourage dialogue between the visitors, between generations and also between the contemporary and the historical.”

The Laing Art Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm.  Admission is free.  For more details visit www.twmuseums.org.uk/laing or find the Laing on Facebook and Flickr.

Photography - Dan Prince