David Mach RA British, b. 1956
If You Go Down to the Woods Today, 2022
Mixed Media with bronze Bear
146.5 x 174 x 113 cm
57 5/8 x 68 1/2 x 44 1/2 in
57 5/8 x 68 1/2 x 44 1/2 in
Edition 1 of 3
Further images
'If You Go Down to the Woods Today' is a surrealist nod to the familiar childhood song. An empty log cabin with Dali-esque windows and doors is left empty with...
'If You Go Down to the Woods Today' is a surrealist nod to the familiar childhood song. An empty log cabin with Dali-esque windows and doors is left empty with only a raging bear outside for company. Mach says:
"Through the exhibition you will find the plinths that I normally dread in art gallery exhibitions but hopefully, in this case we’ve made them more interesting for you. You’ll come across the most recent models made for the show, ‘If You Go Down to the Woods Today’ and ‘The Oligarch’s Nightmare‘. Both very different to the rest of the exhibition, both almost fairy tales, both cautionary tales, both dark.
If I look through the show as a spectator, as part of the audience I expect a lot from these models. I expect to see ideas that might raise questions “Can this really be built?”, “Wouldn’t that be impossible or just too difficult?.” I expect suspicion to be raised, “Why the hell would you make a tower out of white vans, an homage to white van drivers?”, “Has the bear eaten the guy who lived in the log cabin?”, “Is this the same guy that made that sculpture in Kingston? I like his ideas better.” I’d like to be faced with a range of ideas, materials, emotions, structures and proposals and to be thoroughly entertained, delighted, annoyed and irritated. I’d be happy with that. I hope you will be.”
"Through the exhibition you will find the plinths that I normally dread in art gallery exhibitions but hopefully, in this case we’ve made them more interesting for you. You’ll come across the most recent models made for the show, ‘If You Go Down to the Woods Today’ and ‘The Oligarch’s Nightmare‘. Both very different to the rest of the exhibition, both almost fairy tales, both cautionary tales, both dark.
If I look through the show as a spectator, as part of the audience I expect a lot from these models. I expect to see ideas that might raise questions “Can this really be built?”, “Wouldn’t that be impossible or just too difficult?.” I expect suspicion to be raised, “Why the hell would you make a tower out of white vans, an homage to white van drivers?”, “Has the bear eaten the guy who lived in the log cabin?”, “Is this the same guy that made that sculpture in Kingston? I like his ideas better.” I’d like to be faced with a range of ideas, materials, emotions, structures and proposals and to be thoroughly entertained, delighted, annoyed and irritated. I’d be happy with that. I hope you will be.”