David Lynch – EAT MY FEAR. The great filmmaker exhibits a grotesque and chocking sculpture.
Sculpture
Main hall, Färgfabriken
This summer’s exhibition in Färgfabriken’s main hall is EAT MY FEAR by American director and filmmaker David Lynch.
David Lynch is one of the great contemporary directors. He is well known for such films as Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, as well as the TV series Twin Peaks. Other Lynch activities include drawing – and sculpting. EAT MY FEAR is a sculpture that David Lynch originally made for New York City in 2000. As it turned out, the work was considered too shocking to be shown in public as intended, and was withdrawn. At Färgfabriken this summer, EAT MY FEAR will be shown in public for the first time.
This is a major event for Färgfabriken. The opportunity to show one of David Lynch’s few sculptures is important in itself, but EAT MY FEAR also provides a basis for a discussion about the public space. Färgfabriken is currently involved in a long-term collaboration with the Stockholm County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen), centred on an investigation into how our streets and squares – everyone’s shared property – are affected by changes in the wider world, such as increased globalisation and privatisation.
EAT MY FEAR was created to be shown in connection with the Cow Parade project in New York City. This summer, the Cow Parade will be in Stockholm. Around 100 “cows” will be placed in various locations around the city, and each of them will be “hosted” by a company. The cow’s appearance will have been chosen by the host company from a large number of proposals sent in by artists, designers and ordinary people.
In New York, David Lynch was invited to spice up the event. He agreed to participate, and asked that a cow be sent to his Beverly Hills atelier. The result of his artistic treatment was such, however, that the organisers got cold feet. The work was rejected, and has since been in storage in New York. The cow bears the words “EAT MY FEAR”.
When Färgfabriken was approached some time ago about the possibility of participating in the Stockholm Cow Parade in some way, we said that we would be happy to participate by showing the rejected work by David Lynch. Much to our surprise, our proposal was accepted, and now at last EAT MY FEAR will be shown to the public – in Stockholm, in the main hall at Färgfabriken. The exhibition runs until 29 August.
We are hoping that David Lynch will be able to attend the opening personally, or else visit Färgfabriken at a later date this summer. Färgfabriken will also be producing an exhibition catalogue with texts by Swedish artist Jan Håfström among others, and in August a debate will be held about EAT MY FEAR and the public space. EAT MY FEAR is a project organised and produced by Färgfabriken as a part of “I/u/We: individual, collective, power, democracy”.
We are grateful to the organisers of Cow Parade for transporting the work to Sweden.