Jamie Watt @ LAVAPIU

Curated by Celeste

03.07 – 20.08.21

LAVAPIU, Via Nicola Castagna 9

Teramo

Edinburgh based artist Jamie Watt presents a reflection on the relation between mass tourism and capitalism in his work for the LAVAPIU project. Jamie’s consideration starts from one of the earliestconfiguration of modern tourism: the Grand Tours. They were one of the first form of organised cultural travel undertaken by members of aristocratic northern European families in continental Europe starting from XVII century. Their historical importance contributed to the modern use of the word tourism.

Jamie juxtaposes an image taken form the sketchbook of a Victorian Scottish family -The Macleods of Cadboll – who travelled to Italy on the Grand Tours and a drawing of a decapitated boar head. In a time when we were all imposed to cancel our beloved holidays, Jamie’s work offers a merciless symbolic device which forces the viewer to examine the nature and contradictions of mass tourism in a post-pandemic scenario. Unfasten your seatbelts.

Jamie Watt. Exhibition views from LAVAPIU, Teramo 2021 © Celeste.