Venue: Hunt & Darton Cafe (Venue 172) Dates: 2-25 Aug (not 5, 12, 19) 19:30 (ends 20:30) Tickets: £5 (preview 2 Aug £2.50)
The hidden links between the fall of communism, contemporary art and an old Triumph Herald
Artist Chris Dobrowolski’s talent for storytelling has previously charmed audiences with Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape, Escape! aboard Dr Roberts’ Magic Bus and Poland 3 Iraq 2 with 30Bird.
‘All Roads Lead To Rome is the story of his beloved Triumph Herald, its restoration and Chris’ subsequent trip to Rome in the car to visit the place where it was designed.
All Roads Lead to Rome is inspired by his father’s experience as a Polish soldier in Italy in the final months of the Second World War. In the style of a performance lecture, it brings together story-telling, film, still images and sculpture to tell a story about his recent road trip, Cold War politics, the rise of consumerism, car mechanics, contemporary art and classical civilisation.
In 1959, Soviet President Khrushchev met US Vice President Nixon in a mock-up of a modern American kitchen. Presented with the latest modern kitchen gadgets, Khrushchev dismissed them as ‘gimmicks’. He announced that the communist system would channel resources into things that were more fundamental to life and produce a more egalitarian society. When communism collapsed and the Cold War ended, it was arguably partly because of this decision as people rejected a society that promised equality in favour of a culture that gave them gimmicks.
Artist Chris Dobowolski has spent a year repairing his ancient but beloved Triumph Herald. Inherited from his father and purchased just before he was born, the car is a testament to “make do and mend”, the antithesis of modern consumerism. Chris says ‘Growing up during the Cold War, my family’s ultimate consumer purchase was the first and only time my father bought a new car. It was a Triumph Herald; coincidentally designed in 1959.The car is of great personal significance because my father bought it when my mother found out she was pregnant with her second child – me. Quintessentially English, the car was actually designed by an Italian in Turin.
Chris’ background is as a sculptor but contemporary art maker would be a more accurate description of what he does. He has made several, very home made, “knocked up in the garden shed” vehicles from recycled materials, starting with a boat made from driftwood and culminating with an aeroplane made from tea chests and newspaper.
All Roads Lead To Rome has been selected for Escalator East To Edinburgh. Each year Escalator, East to Edinburgh helps artists and arts organisations to raise their profile and perform to new audiences as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
