Fight The Power: A solo exhibition by Kostya Benkovich

BIRD&CARROT PRODUCTIONS in collaboration with DEVELOPING ARTISTS FOUNDATION and ARC SPACE presents Kostya Benkovich's "Fight the Power".

Kostya Benkovich, the visual artist fresh from his UN prize for “The Suitcase” which told of the plight of refugees turns his attention to the epidemic of young hip-hop stars in America whose lives are being cut short at the peak of their fame. Artists like Juice WRLD, Pop Smoke, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep and Jimmy Wopo have all died as a result of attacks or drug addiction which lead Benkovich to consider “Why?”

Benkovich captures a striking paradox: the very platforms that brought these artists billions of views and global recognition became the catalyst for their downfall as they became vulnerable to attacks and influences that entrap these young artists who are often unprepared for their fame and constant attention as a result of social media.

Rappers turn into living billboards for luxury brands, projecting a lifestyle that proved an unbearable burden. The works are forged from steel rebar - a material synonymous with confinement and aggression - a fitting skeleton for lives that were glamorous on the surface, catastrophic underneath.

Opening 28 May at ARC Space, 13 Tottenham Mews, London W1T 4AQ.

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