Joseph Cotgrave - output gallery

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Joseph Cotgrave is an artist from Liverpool who aims to destigmatize HIV, raise awareness and educate people on the matter, this being via his art and the workshops that he runs. Joseph’s exhibition at the Output gallery definitely did this as he completely transformed the space into an almost distorted and fading memory of a club where he may have contracted HIV (it’s based around Liverpool’s gay bars in particularly the Navi Bar).


The installation uses, sculpture, sound and light to create this atmosphere. The sculpture consists of items related to clubs and drugs like cans, keys, pills and legal highs, but there are also these sperm like shaped sculptures around the room. These sculptures reminded me of Keith Haring’s ‘Demon Sperm’ paintings that he made the day after receiving the news that he was HIV positive. These paintings show these demon sperms coming to get you representing the fear of getting HIV and this chase catching up to him. I don’t know if the sperm sculptures in Joseph’s installation is meant to have the same effect, but I assume so.

 Initially walking into the gallery, it gave me a sense of stepping into this really weird foggy memory like in a movie almost when it does a dramatic flash back especially with the warped club music. I didn’t even need to read the text given to be able to workout what the installation was about, it was so effective and honestly quite breathtaking and overwhelming. It really did get to me actually. It was an amazing exhibition.

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