MESSING WITH HEADS
An exhibition by Paradox Paul at Quay Arts, Isle of Wight (29.4 to 8.7.2023) featuring artworks made at the Paradox Island shop in Ventnor over a three year period plus new collaborations on paintings & sculpture with local artists Steve & Susie Prangnell, Violet Mareck, Martin Swan, Mark Cosby & Mark Dickson. Here's a short description (scroll down for visitors' comments):

"Since the first lockdown in 2020 I've been making things in my alternative High Street shop that few High Street shoppers want, either because they serve no practical purpose or because they are too weird to give as gifts. I know they are 'weird' because that is the most common word used by passers-by and the curious few who venture inside. I've made around 500 'trash-art' items, mostly from toys and ornaments I source from local charity shops. I realised quickly that people take a nicely packaged product much more seriously - no matter what it is - than random art on a shelf, so I enjoy making the boxes & other satirical merchandising too. Though purposefully appearing mass-produced, each artwork is a one-off & won't be made again."

Below: Thoughts & messages from the visitors' comments book (all readable entries):


"Absolutely batshit - I love it!"

"Very weird but I like it."

"Strange and wonderful. Paintings are very striking. Objects are mixture of funny and thoughtful."

"Food for thought. Some are downright funny. Good way to grab attention."

"Uplifting, hilarious."

"All absolutely brilliant. I love it. xx"

"Absolutely amazing exhibition. Blew my mind!"

"I love Marmite and also this."

"Brilliant!! Speechless!!"

"Absolutely great! Loved it."

"I appear to have taken some mind-altering substance. Brilliant exhibition, but I feel a bit queazy now..."

"Gosh!! Amazingly thought provoking."

"Cluttered brilliance with so much fun. Thank you."

"One of the best uses of the gallery space I've seen in years. So different to the normal shows, in the best way. More exhibitions like this please!!! Great."

"Absolutely brilliant. Loved it so much. Can't wait to visit the store in Ventnor now!"

"The most amazing, amusing and enjoyable exhibition I've seen for a long time."

"Great fun! Such an imaginative idea."

"Brilliant! Dead jealous!!!"

"Wow! What a show! Such energy, inspiration, creativity, humour and challenge. Bravo Paul! The island is SO lucky to have you!"

"Lighting in the gallery makes things difficult to see!"

"Interesting to look at, but I don't understand the meanings behind the art."

"One of the only pieces of (unreadable) where there is no meaning because life isn't a problem to solve but a mystery to live."

"Amazing! You've emptied your entire shop and workshop into Quay Arts! (p.s. not a phone-card in sight)"

"Nice one Paul!"

"Art? Not in my book! Con artist maybe."

"Love it - anarchic - completely bonkers - messed with my head!"

"Perfect irony!"

"I'll second that!"

"Inspired."

"Certainly messed with my head. Great stuff. Loved it."

"Well done Paul. Interesting; thought provoking; highly personal in places and... fun!"

"Well I quite like it."

"Back again - I see changes."

"Love the (unreadable) display! Oops!!"

"Hmmm. As my mother would have said, 'Better out than in!'"

"Right up my street! And far more order and categorisation than chaos. A real consumer, anti-consumer vibe."

"Interesting and funny."

"Such a lot of inspired work gone into this wonderfully different and colourful exhibition, and more than food for thought! Hope it brings the 'break' you deserve!"

"Saw your pigs last year - loved them. And oh dear!! for me so inspiring xx"

"Lovin' your work. Where are the prices!?"

"Wow! Fantastic! Makes a huge impact."

"Brilliantly silly!"

"Expresses thoughts I've had in a tangible way - relatable and utterly out there. Not sure I like it, but can relate."

"Paradox Paul is the best contemporary artist in the south of England. Cutting straight to the point, leaving the rest far behind with his fantastic input and sensitivity of balance. Well done Quay Arts, this is the best exhibition you've had in years. It seems like he's the only person on the planet who's talking and making any sense."

"Really engaging work, particularly loved the poetry / jokes on the large posters. Would have bought a poster / card if there were prices - but obviously not the point of the exhibition."

"We love it! We live in such a wasteful society and this engages the old thought processes. Love the subversive humour of it all."

"Awesome exhibition, I love it! Keep making art and communicate your message about such a wasteful society we live in."

"Tour de force of plastic madness. Love, love, love it. xxx Wonderful world of Paul."

"I love this exhibition. it's clever, funny and inspiring. Paradox Paul is a genius!"

"Disconcerting. Unnerving. Amusing. Overwhelming. Not sure whether I should laugh or feel sick!"

"Memory lane - objects and memories - past and future - consumerism unveiled."

"Finally a shop that's as childish and weird as I am. Love it. But in all honesty. Really entertaining, engaging, we spent ages here. Keep creating."

"I need to think about it. Which means it succeeded!!"

"Really interesting juxtaposition of pieces and entertained me and yet made me existentially sad. But the saddest thing of all is the lack of Hot Wheels or Tech Decks being used in the pieces. What do you have against rolley toys Paul?? Reee!"

"Absolute genius. Fantastic to see PP's work in a bigger space, and the works of other artists too. I love this so much!"

"Amazing use of space and seeing the other side of life exposed."

"Brilliant Paul. Ab fab. Feel for a couple of your posters."

"Brilliantly unhinged."

"Amazing, really thought provoking. Will purchase on payday!"

"Influenced by Sid in Toy Story?"
(Special note: "I get this a lot. No." P.P.)

"What a load of tat! Did make me laugh though!"

"Everything I saw made me gasp. I never thought anyone could make things like this, but now I realise they can. (Scribed by mummy)"

"Great exhibition, some really good pieces!"

"What an unnerving exhibition. Rightfully titled Paradox!"

"Brilliant!"

"...and now for something completely different (and refreshing)."

"Luv it!"

"Every return visit gives more and more."

"All totally amazing. You are a genius Paul!"

"Excellent. Borderline genius. I love the Box Heads. (Anti-royalist.)"

"Still don't understand the rationale behind it, after my fourth visit."

"Re above: But you just can't help but return! Mad, hilarious, fabulous!"

"Stumbled over this on the way back from physio. All alone in a room full of mad stuff, giggling insanely. Thank you for messing with my head. Hard to pick favourites, but Buzz Ballerina was rather beautiful and the Live Specimen dinosaurs. Violet's work great too."

"What great fun!! Love the pieces and thoughtful presentation / installation. Made me laugh. Made me think. Cheers!!"

"Absolutely fabulous. Genius in fact. xxx"

"I understand and appreciate your mission to highlight our obsession with stuff. But as an environmental campaigner, I am wondering how you source so much plastic stuff. If second-hand, maybe ok, but because you are using so much, charity shops will be depleted of toys and kids will have to source their toys from toy shops - so encouraging more plastics manufacturing. My sister used to live opposite a plastics factory pouring PCBs into the air, polluting, endangering human and other animals' health."

"Utterly fantastic!!! I haven't seen an exhibition this brilliant in a long time. Thank you!"

"Weirdly wonderful."

"Just amazing - thank you!"

"Really hard to leave. Thanks."

"OMGWTFBBQ. Genius!"

"The most original work I have seen! Fab! Love it! Thank you."

"It's a bit confusing because (child's writing difficult to read) straight we fink you can make your own doll but there is no sign."

"Fucking mental. Well done!"

"So original. As you say weird? Superb! What is in your mind?"

"Loved this."

"Amazing. And moving. Thank you."

"Thought provoking. Would love to just sit and watch you work. Amazing!"

"Absolutely brilliant and original. Well done."

"Haunting. Will be dreaming of Violet's plastic figures for a long time and loved learning about the process as well. The young artists' work is equally stunning - could not look away from the head of eyes!"
(Note: the exhibition was accompanied by a smaller exhibition in a side gallery displaying works made by primary school children at workshops run by Quay Arts staff together with Paradox Paul on themes inspired by Messing With Heads.)

"The artwork is so incredibly well done and thought provoking. I especially enjoyed Violet's figures - the movement and expressions tell a story and the video of materials / the process showcase her hard work. I also enjoyed the student exhibit - so much talent."

"Fun, colourful, thought provoking. Spoke to the inner child in us and concerned adult."

"Thinking outside the box!! Not my thing but still cool. A talking point."

"Brilliant, hilarious, devastating sometimes. We loved it."

"Brilliant - really enjoyed it all."

"Inspired use of our waste that really highlights just how much crap is in the world - and revalues and reevaluates it hilariously with wit and intelligence."

"Inspired (and in some ways!) inspiring. Made me smile, cringe, laugh, cry and shout - innovative yet deep rooted in our sense of self - Agh!"

"Madman? Genius? Artistic extraordinaire? All 3!! Can't put into words (but I'll try) how extraordinarily brilliant this is - needs to go national and then international. Mind-blowing, one of a kind, this needs to be seen by everyone. Collaborations also beautifully chosen and perfect. Thank you for messing with my head!! xx"

"Incredible exhibition. One of a kind. So special to have here on the Island."

"Viz, Mad, Goons, my education, now this - wonderful. The most amusing 'rubbish' to grace these walls (and there's been plenty of that!)"

"Ace!!! So glad I managed to see it."

"Even better than the shop! People love our trash isle art when they visit us. Thank you. x"

"Amazing! Loved Violet's people and the Box paintings particularly."

"You weirdo!!! (Joke - it's brilliant.) Left me thinking about heads and (unreadable) works, the wasteful world we live in and my fave bit was the Paul trapped behind the shop window photo panel! Inspiring piece."

"Still great! (Third or fourth visit.) Upsy daisy far more annoying than Iggle Piggle - she deserves the sword!"
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"Jaw-dropping, funny, restorative. Taking all the tat I hate and making it joyful. Bravo Paul!"