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Selling and Surrealism

(((Echo))) at Dundee Contemporary Arts

A digital print that draws attention to the surreal actions claimed to market new products. 



In 2015, Holly was invited to create a new artwork in response to an exhibition by the artist Roman Signer at Dundee Contemporary Arts. The artwork was exhibited at the evening event, (((Echo))) alongside four other local artists.

The selected works of Roman Signer that were exhibited focused on the installation of the potential or aftermath of comical actions - a practice Signer is well-known for alongside his general use of explosions! This included the catapulting of a kayak into the gallery wall; a gallery filled with a grid of standing pine fence posts waiting to be knocked over; and a ladder with Wellington boots to no-where. As a member of the technical team who installed the exhibition with Signer and a gallery assist who spent three months guarding a room of teetering wooden posts from visitors unaware that the artist was true to his word – and the post were really not attached to the floor and any sudden movements would cause a cascading domino affect – Holly was inspired by how these installations of paused actions created a sense of comic surrealism, whilst simply being the actions of anyone open to a stint of mischief.

Responding to and exhibited alongside Signer's work, Ladder, Holly produced a poster that mimicked the then current advertisement found outside the entrance to the DCA by SmartWater.




In 2015, SMARTWater, owned by Coca-Cola, were doing an international campaign fore-fronted by the actress Jennifer Aniston to promote their bottled water.




SMARTwater describe their vapor distillation process as the first step in creating purifed water the way nature intended as it replicates the hydrologic cycle to create water that's as ‘pure as the first drop of rain’. Their promotional tagline is...

...inspired by the clouds.

Whilst they partner with various celebraties who are known for their influence in regards to normative notions of health, beauty and wellness.


Image taken from drinksmartwater.com

The action of bottling water and then selling it with the unique selling point of replicating the natural filtration processes performed by the hydrocycle is surreal.



The production was made possible with the support of the DCA.
(C) HOLLY KEASEY 2020 — GO UP︎︎︎