Eddy Parnell

Paul Smith GLOBE is pleased to present 'Happy Birthday Lamppost', an exhibition by Eddy Parnell which demonstrates society's tendency to celebrate the smallest of achievements.

Happy Birthday Lamppost is the latest work from Eddy Parnell in which he asks the audience: ‘Why not join me in celebrating the birth of a lamppost?’ In asking this Parnell simultaneously commends one of the most overlooked and useful implements in our daily lives whist questioning how far we are willing to take this obsession with self gratification.

In today’s consumerist world the smallest of achievements are deemed important enough to celebrate. As a society we are pumping an increasing amount of money into gifts for various occasions that dominate our calendars. The birthday is the focus of this project in which Parnell highlights the insanity of a celebration in which the only achievement is that of maintaining vitality for an entire year.

To express the absurdity of our society Parnell has chosen the image of a lamppost with flowers attached; an image that evokes ideas of roadside death and has juxtaposed it with the theme of birth and a celebration of life.

In his past and present works Parnell has taken serious worldly issues and laced them with sardonic humour and controversial undertones, represented presently through the medium of photography.

'Happy Birthday Lamppost'

3rd May - 31st May 2011

GLOBE Gallery
Paul Smith GLOBE
Departure Lounge
Terminal 5
Heathrow Airport