I Object: Ian Hislop’s Search for Dissent


Interesting exhibition at the British Museum curated by Ian Hislop using the collection to show how personal expression can change society and drive progress.

It was fascinating to see how the same principles have been used by different peoples throughout the ages such as defacing the coinage, slandering your enemies, wearing specific items to show allegiance and the idea of burying objects.

I found the ancient pieces most touching as they showed that people don’t really change. Items I loved included a builder’s rude picture from the pyramid builders of Egypt and from the same period a papyrus of animals taking on human roles as a parody of the art of the time. I also liked a salacious carving of Cleopatra and Anthony a boat probably commissioned by Octavian!

I loved a censored version of the Decameron in which the owner Marco Dotta had rewritten all the dirty bits. Oh dear it looks like I was attached to the smut in the show rather than the political comment! 

There were witty and insightful labels written by Hislop, who can resist on an 18th century cartoon “Gillray knew what would sell a print, sex, the royal family and fashionable shoes.”! It was a nice touch to end the show with the Banksy piece which he left in the museum itself in 2005 complete with a BM style label. It wasn’t noticed for days until he mentioned it on is website. Ancient British shopping trolley anyone?

Closes on 20 January 2018

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