Room Two

Earth, Inequality, Protest & Influence

Here, political issues such as environmental degradation, economic and social inequality, and the culture around protest are explored. Pete crosses personal artistic boundaries by exploring these themes as his work usually offers a form of escapism.

“What I set out to do in this show was definitely out of my comfort zone. I always want my work to be as accessible as possible and the more people who resonate with it, the better. I want my art to be inspirational and positive, to make people happy, even cry if the work touches them, but never angry. The reality is that whenever you bring politics into things, at least one person is going to get annoyed, a feeling I have never intended to provoke.

Also, when this subject matter is discussed, it tends to bring people back to reality whereas I have always wanted my art to allow people to step into another world. However, when reflecting on everything I saw on social media during the lockdowns, politics made up a large part of that. The ‘social media’ I refer to specifically is Twitter, the main platform I use. It’s also the only place I publicly share my political opinions and what I care about, in addition to all the usual stuff, largely what makes me laugh. Until now I have never overtly explored politics in my artwork; however, it felt relevant to do so for this show.” - Pete McKee

This is Not a Gun (2020)

**Emulsion on board**

**51cm x 76.2cm**

**Artist’s Note**
I was once an outlaw in the Wild West, then I was the silent good guy with a poncho swigging shots of burdock, then I was Starsky – or was I Hutch? Running over bad guys by the stairwell of the flats...Then I discovered girls...
**Curatorial Note**
This work references surrealist artist René Magritte’s 1929 painting, *The Treachery of Images*, aka *This Is Not a Pipe*. The toy cap gun in Pete’s work is something kids from his generation would have played with. This imagery references simpler times before the internet, whilst simultaneously thinking about the young people who might turn to violence having been indoctrinated by extremist groups encountered online.
One of the many ways young people are targeted by alt-right groups online is through the use of memes. This insidious method spreads hateful messages by capturing the attention of impressionable people. Many use social media, particularly Instagram, as a way of catching up on the news and for political commentary. Although this is not inherently harmful, it is very concerning that alt-right propaganda, which has been linked to gun violence, makes its way so easily onto these platforms.

Trickle Down Economy (2021)

Designed by Pete McKee
Created by Dean Rogan
Photograph by India Hobson
Mixed Media
14cm x 30cm x 22.2cm (width x length x height)

Curatorial Note

This sculpture represents how trickle-down economics functions.

“I wanted to emphasise the crassness of the 1%’s extreme wealth by placing ‘a golden throne’ on top of a mountain of cash. The inadequate consequences of this system of wealth distribution are shown by the pitiful trickle which the majority of people receive, represented by a flat cap, traditionally associated with the working class. I wanted the cap this way up to reference how poor people would once have doffed their caps
to the rich.”

The upturned cap also represents begging, a direct outcome of poverty, something to which this system contributes. The accompanying poster below was inspired by advertisements for collectibles such as those produced by companies like Franklin Mint. By imagining this sculpture as a collectible, the artist adds further layers of irony by turning an object that critiques capitalism into a product of it.

Trickle Down Economy (2022)

**Photograph by India Hobson**

**Poster**

Space Travel is for Everybody (2022)

**Emulsion on board**

**61cm x 61cm**

**Artist’s Note**
Philanthropy begins in space it seems.
**Curatorial Note**
Despite its abstract appearance, this work depicts rows of anti-homeless spikes on a pavement, “hostile architecture” designed to prevent rough sleeping. Close up they look intimidating, casting eerie shadows; a small army, protecting their zone from unwanted guests.
The title of the work is a play on Richard Branson’s quote about his business, Virgin Galactic, which offers the extremely wealthy the opportunity to fly to outer space. Ticket prices start at around $450,000. Branson states that he wanted to “turn the dream of space travel into a reality - for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone.” These conical shapes, their colour echoing Virgin’s branding, evoke rows of rockets, lined up and ready for launch.
“Space travel is clearly not for everyone. I find it depressing that some of the worst off aren’t even allowed to sleep on a dirty street whilst the wealthiest can afford to nip up to outer space.”

Social Media (2020)

**Emulsion on board**

**50.8cm x 76cm**

**Artist’s Note**
“If you have a racist friend, now is the time, now is the time for your friendship to end.”
Lyrics from 1984 song ‘Racist Friend’ by The Special AKA
**Curatorial Note**
Like other works in DAYM, *Social Media* depicts the past to comment on the present. Pete recalls seeing a National Front symbol sprayed onto an underpass when he was young:
“At the time I was particularly into The Specials and the ska movement which was very much about racial unity, so to see that message not getting through was depressing to say the least. Fortunately, a few weeks later a further addition was added to the graffiti and it was reassuring to see hate had a resistance. Sadly, over four decades later we still have a way to go, as pages on social media have become virtual walls on which similar messages are typed rather than sprayed.”
The messages of hate to which the artist refers were something he thought about specifically after the Brexit vote. A survey by Opinium found that in addition to an increase in racially motivated hate crime, “Online racism has more than doubled since before the referendum”.

They Started It! (2022)

Designed and painted by Pete McKee
Created by Neil Gidley
Photograph by India Hobson
Mixed media
185cm x 152cm (circumference x height)

Curatorial Note

Since World War II it has become common for armourers to write messages for their enemies on the side of bombs. The childish message written on Pete’s bomb points to the futility of war.

“The overriding theme of this piece is the pointlessness of armed conflict and how it can rapidly escalate. Ultimately the people who suffer are ordinary citizens who witness the destruction of their homes, schools and hospitals. While people are displaced and forced to flee to refugee camps, arms manufacturers get rich.”