Journal, ICA

Turner Prize shortlisted artist Duncan Campbell forms part of Journal at the ICA: a group show that interrogates the role of the artists in society both in the gallery and online

Group exhibitions can be peculiar things. There are those for which a curator has decided upon a specific theme into which works then must be shoehorned; more unsatisfying, there are those where one gets the impression that a snappy title was decided upon first, around which an entire exhibition has been organised. And then there are group exhibitions in which it is unclear why the selected works have ended up in a room together and whether any relationship between the works on display is purely serendipitous. ICA's new exhibition, Journal, seeks to break away from these established patterns of the group show.

The exhibition…

Journal certainly promises to be more than a simple group exhibition. The ICA has invited not just artists, but writers and theorists too, to present artworks, talks, performances and films during what are normally the quiet summer months. Among them is the young Turner Prize shortlisted artist Duncan Campbell, whose practice incorporates all of these disciplines along with a hefty dose of wry humour.

Offline and online…

Demonstrating the ICA's ongoing interest in the artist-produced publication, an interactive online magazine will be generated throughout the duration of Journal. The programme will also include several opportunities to get involved with participatory performances and immersive installations. 

The ethos…

The recent reintroduction of a membership scheme at the ICA reflects the institution's aim of regaining its original role as a centre for London's artistic community. Likewise, this latest exhibition seems to represent a return to the ICA's experimental roots. According to the ICA's curators, Journal differs from a normal group show in that it "offers a looser configuration that reflects a consideration of the artist’s role in bringing focus to a world changing around us". It is certainly worth visiting if only to judge for yourself how far the project succeeds in achieving this.