Art: Ian Stevenson's sublime nonsense on show in Tokyo

Date
20 May 2014

When you search for “Ian Stevenson” Google suggests that you might be looking for a Canadian psychiatrist who specialised in reincarnation. I wasn’t – I was after the British artist of the same name – but I can’t help wonder what the former might have made of the latter’s work.

Ian has just opened a new show at the Paul Smith Space Gallery in Tokyo, which boasts not only 20 new works but also a range of T-shirts and hankies that feature the fashion designer’s photographs onto which Ian has added his own visual flourishes.

What I love about Ian’s work is that amid the thickets of surreal silliness, occasionally you glimpse something more thought-provoking, the whispy entrails of an idea that questions something much more profound. But then it’s gone, and any attempt to vocalise it founders on the craggy shores of sounding self-important.

Satisfaction Guaranteed tuns until 15 June.

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Ian Stevenson: Art

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Ian Stevenson: Disneyland

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Ian Stevenson: Satisfaction Guaranteed

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Ian Stevenson: Hello Prick

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Ian Stevenson: I’m A Pervert

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Ian Stevenson: Gone To Lunch

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Ian Stevenson: Rich People
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Ian Stevenson: Tastes Great

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Ian Stevenson x Paul Smith: Lesiure Time

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Ian Stevenson x Paul Smith: May Contain Nuts

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Ian Stevenson x Paul Smith: MEOW

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Ian Stevenson x Paul Smith: Mt Fuji

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Ian Stevenson x Paul Smith: Summer Time

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About the Author

Rob Alderson

Rob joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in July 2011 before becoming Editor-in-Chief and working across all editorial projects including itsnicethat.com, Printed Pages, Here and Nicer Tuesdays. Rob left It’s Nice That in June 2015.

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