Norman Rave Exhibition Review: An Immersive Celebration of 90s Rave Culture
Thumbnail Image taken by Carys Granger
Words by Meg Bulmer
On Tuesday 5th October, The Norman Rea gallery held their first exhibition of the year: Norman Rave. Influenced by the Saatchi Gallery’s 2019 Exhibition ‘Sweet Harmony’, the Norman Rave featured a wide range of art forms (including DJ sets and live painting), which together created a captivating experience reminiscent of the psychedelic rave culture of the 1990s. Inspiration for the exhibition came from Edsard Driessen’s article on ‘Sweet Harmony’, which described its success in conceiving a mesmerizing insight into the acid house scene as it played a part in the growing rave culture of the 80s and 90s. Along a similar line, therefore, the Norman Rave intended to celebrate the music, fashion, and artwork of rave culture in a diverse and engaging space, and insightfully brought to life the ways in which its past is resurfacing in our present.
Collage series ‘Beautiful People’ by Eiri Munro
On first impressions this intention was impressively fulfilled; from below the windows of the Norman Rea Gallery the vivid flashing lights and dance beats of the DJs could be heard coming from within the exhibition space, recreating the atmosphere of rave culture even before you step inside. Within the gallery space this experience gains depth, with the remarkable range of artworks spaced skillfully throughout the central room and the connected corridor. The main room of the exhibition was filled with colourful flashing lights, and housed the live DJ set and film projections, alongside mounted pieces of art and fashion. In a different aspect, the corridor outside returned to normal lighting, featuring pieces of artwork along one wall, and the live painting of The Medicine Man at the end. The interactive aspect of this live painting, alongside the live music of the DJs, added an important dimension to the exhibition; observing artwork that celebrates the dance/freedom/passion of the 90s rave scene, all while the floor vibrates with the rhythmic beats of the period’s music, produced a new way of celebrating the entire culture.
‘The Natrix . MMXX’ by Terry Aaron (The Medicine Man) MCMLXXVII
One of my stand-out favourite pieces from the exhibition was Freya Gibbs’ ‘Shall we Have a Dance Party?’, because of the poignant way in which it represents the rave culture of the past, while simultaneously exposing our current desire to return to its characteristic freedom of expression. Freya herself writes that the piece was ‘inspired by spontaneous lockdown boogies that lifted us when we needed a boost’, and to me this emotionally captures how through the restrictions and struggles of lockdown, music and dancing was one way we could maintain our freedom and joy (even if only by ourselves in the kitchen). I felt it was also reflective of the entire exhibition, as it represented the connection between past and present; so many of us are currently searching to rediscover the pure elation that comes from going out and dancing, to the point where we seem to be reclaiming many of the key aspects of rave culture. The piece is made up of three large rectangular canvases, each covered in bright colours and patterns which together succeed in provoking those feelings which come before, as Gibbs puts it, a ‘spontaneous boogie’; a lifting of the spirits which urges you to turn up the music and dance.
‘Shall we Have a Dance Party?’ by Freya Gibbs
Despite (or perhaps because of) the current contradictions and intensities of modern life, our instinct seems to be to return to the simplicity of celebrating life through art, music and dance. It feels fitting, therefore, that after all the uncertainty of lockdown, so many of us in society wish to turn back the clock to a time and a culture when people could turn up the music, dance, and leave behind the restrictions of real life. The art demonstrated throughout the Norman Rave exhibition was chosen so well as to poignantly capture that feeling. Not only did it succeed in living up to the rave culture that it set out to celebrate, it also brought to light the deep connection that seems to run between that culture and our current one, and how lockdown has played a part in its forging.
Still from a video of Xyber Clothing by Lina Eldaly that was projected in the exhibition
Finally, a great indication of the success of the exhibition could be seen as both rooms of the gallery were filled with people, most dressed in the funky and bright clothing reminiscent of the rave scene they came to remember, and all enjoying the music and artwork on display; throughout the evening people could be seen crowding around the DJ set-up, dancing along to the music. Perhaps the truest representation of the celebration and reigniting of 90s rave culture, both at the Norman Rave and in today’s society, was the eagerness of everyone at the exhibition to attend the after-party; the desire to ‘keep the party going’ and an unwillingness to turn the music off or stop dancing, what could symbolize rave culture more?
