’Nihilistic Optimistic’ by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Blain Southern Gallery

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Wide view of the ’Nihilistic Optimistic’ exhibition. Shadow sculptures made out of junk, metal, and wood are placed throughout the area. Light shines on the sculptures and casts a shadow on a wall
Installation view of Tim Noble and Sue Webster's new show, 'Nihilistic Optimistic'
(Image credit: TBC)

Punk artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster were partners in life and work for 26 years. They stopped living together a year ago and have now documented their split in a show entitled 'Nihilistic Optimistic' at the new Blain Southern Gallery in London's Hanover Square.

Using junk, metal and wood, the duo have created five shadow sculptures which come with titles such as 'Self-Imposed Misery' and 'Wild Mood Swings' and portray both artists in various states of isolation.

Although the premise of the show is rather sad (along with Gilbert & George and Langlands & Bell, Noble & Webster were art couple royalty), the works are so perfectly executed they are anything but.

Their first solo exhibition, 'British Rubbish', catapulted them on to the scene in 1996, and since then they have made shadow sculptures from old crisp packets, stuffed animals and castings of Noble's penis.

In this show, their first for six years, they were keen to break the mould. 'My Beautiful Mistake' is a pile of seemingly random objects stacked high. 'It doesn't follow a line or profile and has nothing to do with shadows,' says Webster; 'We wanted to free ourselves from having to make a silhouette. It's a bit like the game "Consequences", with objects instead of words. We added things as we felt like it. We deliberately defaced the books so that no-one would read anything into them, and the wheelbarrow had been knocking around the studio for ages.'

Although separated, they will continue to work together, and in addition to the sculptures, the pair has made a limited-edition record called Nihilistic Optimistic, produced by The Vinyl Factory. On the A-side, Sue chants 'nihilistic', and Tim repeats 'optimistic' over and over. On the B-side they swap.

'The more you say the word, the more you feel it,' says Webster, who describes herself as a natural nihilist. It comes in 10 and 12-inch versions, and 'the idea is that you play them together.' And earmuffs are strictly forbidden.

Closer view of the ’Nihilistic Optimistic’ exhibition. Shadow sculptures made out of junk, metal, and wood are placed throughout the area. The light shines on the sculptures and casts shadows on the walls. The shadows portray both artists.

Using junk, metal and wood, the duo have created five shadow sculptures which portray both artists in various states of isolation

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood. The light shines on the sculpture and casts a shadow on the wall. The shadow portrays a man.

'Youngman', 2012

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood. The light shines on the sculpture and casts a shadow on the wall. The shadow portrays a woman.

'The Individual', 2012

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood during daylight.

'My Beautiful Mistake', 2012

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood. The light shines on the sculpture and casts a shadow on the wall. The shadow portrays a woman to the right, and the arm of a man turned towards the floor.

'Nasty Pieces of Work', 2008-2009

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood. The light shines on the sculpture and casts a shadow on the wall. The shadow portrays a man looking into the distance.

'Self-Imposed Misery', 2010

(Image credit: TBC)

A closer view of one shadow sculpture made out of junk, metal, and wood. The light shines on the sculpture and casts a shadow on the wall. The shadow portrays a man and a woman sitting on stools with their backs turned to each other.

'Wild Mood Swings', 2009-10

(Image credit: TBC)
Emma O'Kelly

Emma O'Kelly is a freelance journalist and author based in London. Her books include Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat and she is currently working on a UK guide to wild saunas, due to be published in 2025. 

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