Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption

Get any thoughts of caped crusaders, masks and spandex (unfortunately) out of your mind. Ctrl.Alt.Shift has taken over Soho’s Lazarides Gallery, making this small space into a veritable Batcave of comic books and graphic novels from upcoming artists and veterans of the genre alike.

This exhibition is determined to show that the frames of a comic strip are not solely reserved for out-of-this-world heroes and villains but that, in fact, the real heroes and villains are living amongst us.

From the vintage comics behind glass cabinets to framed lithographs and sheets pinned to the wall by bulldog clips, these pieces are all accessible and relatable, taking the comic book genre back to its roots as a medium to vocalise and explore social and political issues.

Looking at the old comics, showing Lois Lane spend a day as a black woman or Superman reduced to tears at the sight of famine victims in Ethiopia, it’s clear that before the superhero became such a high-grossing commodity, the comic book was a moral guide.

Comic book artists nowadays have realised that we look for our superheroes a little closer to home, as demonstrated by Dan Goldman’s 08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail, depicting the passionate speeches and dramas of the US Presidential race between McCain and of course, Obama, and Paul Chadwick’s Sacrifice, charting the events of 9/11.

Unlike traditional comic books, the villains here don’t wear masks but are more likely to be those in power, like in Dave McKean’s  Black Holes whose dark and ghostly figures depict the corruption of pharmaceutical companies in China, or those allegedly working to protect us like the ambulance workers in business with funeral homes in Janek Koza’s Skin Hunters.

A series of short films, curated by onedotzero, bring comic art to life, animating some of the world’s most profound political issues from consumerism to asylum seekers. Highlights have to be Iran: A Nation of Bloggers where the youth of Iran find freedom online to speak about the forbidden topics of love and politics, and I Met the Walrus, a perfectly animated accompaniment to the recording of a conversation between 14-year-old Jerry Levitan and his idol, John Lennon, on how we can promote peace amongst the people.

In collaboration with Dev Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion, the exhibition displays the winning entry and runners up in Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s competition where artists had to provide a strip for Hynes’ script warning against the consequences of corrupt governments.

Considering the name of the competition and the exhibition, ‘Unmask Corruption’, and the uncomfortable familiarity of the issues on display, this exhibition demonstrates that to expose global injustice, you don’t need to perform quick-changes in phone-booths but just need to raise your voice – whatever medium you choose. And not a Warhammer T-shirt in sight…damn, I worked so hard to resist a geek joke.

This entertaining and thought-provoking exhibition hopefully leads the way for similar events to raise Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s profile and awareness about their campaigns.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption runs until November 28 at:

Lazarides Gallery
8 Greek Street
Soho
W1D 4DG

Tuesdays to Fridays 11am – 7pm; Saturdays 12pm – 5pm
Entry is free

Image courtesy of Dan Goldman