British Rubbish

The work of counterculture artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster, whose art is a complex punk-rock take on modern consumer culture.  Enormous neon signs, intricate silhouette portraits constructed of trash heaps, and a work titled Instant Gratification: British artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster thrive on the thrills of illumination, love, language, shadows, garbage, and cash. British Rubbish showcases their work in all its splashy glory. Their art evokes both gaudy Vegas culture and down-and-dirty punk rock: a combination of cynical extravagance and a defiant, rebellious sensibility.  Extravagant, irreverent, sometimes coarse, and always sharply clever, British Rubbish is both a paean to and sly denunciation of conspicuous consumption.

Partners in life and art, Tim Noble and Sue Webster quickly turned their back on the Brit Pack peers with their first critically acclaimed show--called British Rubbish in 1996--which was their "f***-you" reaction to their art-world peers. Jeffrey Deitch is the director of MOCA Los Angeles and the former director of the renowned Deitch Projects. Michael Bracewell is an author and writes regularly on music, art, and literature for the Independent on Sunday and Frieze magazine. Nick Cave is a musician, songwriter, and author best known for his band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.