Photo © Colin Davison

10th May – 18th June

Jock Mooney was born in Edinburgh in 1982. He went on to study sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art and graduated in 2004. Since then, his highly original works have been exhibited internationally, in solo and group exhibitions.

Mooney works across a variety of mediums – from sculpture and drawing, to collage and music. He’s been represented by Vane in Newcastle since 2006, and has collaborated with Globe on several projects over the years. For this showcase, we present one of Jock’s signature pom-pom peppered installations. Lurid, glossy, almost cake like forms and golden urns – akin to a subverted alter-like display that one might see in a hotel lobby during Mexico’s the ‘Day of the Dead’ festivities.

Part set piece, part humour, part horror, part Grandma’s parlour. Lurid, day-glo, visually fizzing pom-poms jostle with sculptures, in mounds and a snake-like tail that extends the full length of the unique gallery space. As the eye scans across this vista, there’s an unapologetic sense of joy juxtaposed with the nods to pop culture and the almost funereal.

A strange, cartoonish octopus is suspended from the ceiling, crafted from felt, dripping rainbow droplets, like some kind of possessed fever dream printer part. A two faced ‘Janus’ cat “cake”, an effigy to Ginger Spice and a curious blob that appears to be a giant Ferrero Rocher all vie for attention. Distinct, kitsch nods to the past – to excess, to loss, to an uncertain future.

These ceramic creations serve as a poignant catalyst, urging viewers to pause and contemplate the multifaceted challenges embedded within the housing crisis, economic complexities, and the pervasive political rhetoric of our daily lives. Through her artwork, she sparks reflection on these pressing issues.

A colourful sense of melancholy, a contradiction, which seems somehow fitting to transient nature of the gallery location itself. A train station at times teaming with people during market hours, filled with conversation and laughter as metros roll by. To times when there’s no one around, with only the sound of the rain on the roof for company. Strangely, this work seems at home in both environments. In joy and sorrow, staring out regardless, here to intrigue us.

Jock lives and works in North Shields. Never one to be pigeon holed, he is also a popular illustrator, many of his designs often being seen on clothing produced by his collaboration with VONK, an independent company in the Scottish Borders. He is also 50% of the highly acclaimed, award winning animation duo, Alasdair & Jock.

The two have directed projects for The Beatles, Coldplay and David Gilmour amongst many others. Their 2019 music video for ‘Here Comes the Sun’ has to date amassed nearly 150 million views. As if that wasn’t enough, their work has also been projected onto Buckingham Palace.

You can find and follow Jock on Instagram; @jockmooney

Photo © Colin Davison