My work includes performance, drawing, video, sculpture, and sound. I am interested in performative ideas relating to everyday life. Many of my ideas uncover real thoughts and opinions that underlie the public face of etiquette or small talk. I often reflect on cultural codes, asking questions of basic learned behaviours: What is work? What is success? What is respect? What is a living? What is happiness? Etcetera.
Central to my approach is ‘play’. I use the different processes of my practice to understand cultural impressions that influence behaviour and opinion. Many of my works aim to find a space where artworks can process ordinariness into a source which is meaningful and creative.
David Sherry (b. 1974, Northern Ireland. Lives and works in Glasgow)
Sherry graduated with an MFA from Glasgow School of Art in 2000. This year he will be performing at the Liverpool Biennial and Manifesta 11. He has had solo exhibitions at Outpost, Norwich; Summerhall, Edinburgh Catalyst Arts, Belfast; Glasgow Museum of Modern Art and Tramway’s project space, Glasgow. Selected group exhibitions including ‘Generation’ at the Kelvingrove Glasgow, ‘RIFF’ Baltic 39 Newcastle, Film and video at BBC Scotland, ‘Grin and Bear It’ at the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork and ‘One fine morning in May’ at GAK Bremen. In 2003, Sherry was selected to represent Scotland at the 50th Venice Biennale and his work is held in many collections including the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art.