Part retrospective, part residency – the inimitable David Hoyle takes over Aviva Studios this Spring. The climax? A spectacular, all-star variety show.
For three gloriously unpredictable weeks, David Hoyle breaches Aviva Studios with a dazzling showcase of his work to date. Part retrospective, part takeover, Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work is a celebration of Hoyle’s prolific output from the stage to the screen to the canvas.
A chance to immerse yourself in Hoyle’s world, get to know the Manchester artist through rarely seen paintings, slogan works and new commissions on display in the Social – where Hoyle also takes over our digital screens – as well as screenings of his iconic television appearances and films, all brought together for the very first time.
Can’t get enough? Dig even deeper with a series of riotous, avant-garde events – featuring talks, live painting and a classic pub quiz all hosted by Hoyle. Bringing the takeover to a climax is the spectacular finale David Hoyle: Still Got It? – an end-of-the-pier variety show from hell. Brace yourself for plenty of anarchic surprises along the way.
As a cabaret star, actor and visual artist, Hoyle’s infamous alter-ego ‘The Divine David’ transported him from radical alternative settings in the '80s to the studios of Channel 4 in the '90s. For the last four decades, Hoyle has queered the boundaries between live art, performance, theatre and cabaret – conquering nightlife around the world and working extensively in film and TV.
Please Feel Free to Ignore My Work brings together key themes that run through Hoyle’s output: gender, mental health, AIDS, revolution, decadence and the effects of capitalism. Tracing his career from the '80s to the present day, this body of work asks how and why we value our art and artists.
Ever the outsider, David Hoyle opens the door to his outrageous and moving world. Come on in, we’ll pop the kettle on.
Times
As part of Please Feel Free To Ignore My Work, an exhibition of David Hoyle’s art is on display in the Social from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 11pm*.
*Please note on 12 and 13 April, the Social will close to the general public at 5pm for a ticketed event.