What To Do With A Million Years
Juno Calypso T.J. Boulting 59 Riding House Street, W1W 7EG 16 MAY – 23 JUNE Free
In the cold war era of the 1960s, Avon cosmetics founder Jerry Henderson decided to do something both weird and wonderful. The multimillionaire moved 26 feet underground into a 16,000 square foot luxury space, designed to withstand disaster and prevent intruders of any kind. Down the tiny entrance there was not only a house, but a built in waterfall and swimming pool, as well as a computerised system mimicking day and night. Juno Calypso decided to go and stay in this marvel, and What to do With a Million Years is the outcome of work produced during this time.
During her stay, Calypso uncovered the fact that both Jerry and wife Mary belonged to a mystery group with an interest in immortality through a stash of pamphlets found in the house detailing the latest innovations in cryonics. The title of the exhibition is named after one of these pamphlets and explores the theme of immortality and preservation.
The house itself is a hidden immortal spectacle. Being 26 feet underground it has managed to retain its original form, avoiding damage from outside influences such as dirt and the sun. The rooms are perfectly decorated – themes of white and pink run predominantly through the premises making the overall appearance overtly feminine. Crystal chandeliers and gold fixtures add a heightened sense of luxury and indulgence, typical of most millionaires, but especially those associated with beauty. It is not a mere coincidence that the owner of a global beauty brand would have such a beautiful estate, perfectly preserved and void of any appearance of ageing...
Living this way is beyond bizarre, and also rather haunting: the mimicking of day and night and fake images of an external world seen through the ‘windows’ are reminiscent of Andrew Niccol’s 1998 screenplay The Truman Show, where an imagined reality is painted for one man resulting in him slowly going insane. An eeriness pervades all of the images, especially ones seen in the ‘outside’ areas beside the water, surrounded by mist and painted in colder shades of blue and purple. An overwhelming sense of loneliness is also prevalent – Calypso being the only character to feature in any of the photos, almost trapped in the pristine labyrinth below.
Calypso is sexualised in many of the images, however her identity is always clouded in some way. Whether this be through a face mask obstructing her features, her turning her back to the camera behind a curtain, or painting herself blue: we are able to see the subject, but not the person. The idea of Calypso wearing a ‘mask’ keeps up with the theme of falseness and imitation. Just as the house itself is a reproduction of the external world, the beauty industry focuses on women being a reproduction of some feminine ideal portrayed through the media.
The exhibition is small but captivating; Calypso inviting you into a replication of outside space in the second gallery room with the introduction of garden furniture and AstroTurf. Whilst the images are similar in appearance and content, the message is multifaceted and issues surrounding beauty, preservation, immortality and truth are explored in a way which is certain to leave a lasting impression.
OVERALL RATING: ****
http://www.tjboulting.com/biography/114402/juno-calypso
