Last week (20.2.9) saw the busy launch of the Bloor’s ‘As long as it lasts’ exhibition at the Eastside Projects gallery in Digbeth. It marks Simon and Tom Bloor’s first large scale solo exhibition in the town they call home, and is a chance for us to view their interpretation of modernist sculpture and flawed utopia. The collection, notably surrounded by an indoor grove of Silver Birch trees, details the Bloors’ interest in the concept of failed redevelopment projects and housing estates.

Taking the ‘play sculptures’ of Bryan Blumer (1925-1981) and John Bridgeman (1916 – 2004) commissioned by the City of Birmingham in the 1960’s as inspiration, Simon and Tom explore the artistic nature of failed urban planning.

The show comprises of a series of sculptures, twenty Silver Birch trees, a series of ink drawings on day-glo paper that revive lost public art from 1960’s Birmingham, an exterior billboard and a limited edition print designed by James Langdon.

The show’s title is taken from Lawrence Weiner’s text sculpture of the same title, a bold move seeing that the sculpture is installed as a semi-permanent piece at Eastside Projects and was part of the opening of the gallery. Knowing this to be the case, Simon and Tom challenge us to see how they are using the international status of Weiner and ‘claiming’ the title of his work for their own artistic ends – definitely worth a look.

The exhibition runs until 4th April 2009 and the space is open Thursday’s 12-7pm, Friday and Saturday’s 12-5pm.

Image Credit: Simon & Tom Bloor, Sculpture for the Colonel’s Estate, 2008. Ink on pink day-glo paper, 29.7 x 42 cm.

Words: Jon Watson