Go see... the Stuckists

Naming an exhibition The Resignation of Sir Nicholas Serota may not be the best way to endear the Tate director to your cause, but the Stuckist group of painters, whose touring show of expressive figurative work is about to open at the Metropole Arts Centre in Folkestone, are unperturbed. As the founding group of a self-named art movement called Remodernism, they stand on an art ticket that's against clever conceptualism and in favour of a more emotional and spiritual integrity in art via figurative painting.

Naming themselves after a comment made by Tracey Emin to her ex-partner and Stuckist co-founder Billy Childish that his work was 'stuck, stuck, stuck' played on the Emin connection and gained the group column inches. Their current show continues the publicity campaign with a jokey swipe at Serota's support of current young British conceptual artists, but behind the humour is also a desire for serious debate.

'Serota's admirable achievement with Tate Modern is not in question,' comments Charles Thompson, the main drive behind the Stuckists. 'But while the Tate wants to offer a comprehensive overview of new British art, they only really show and promote Britart and conceptual work. So a lot of disenfranchised artists and art students are made to feel they've failed before they've begun because their work just doesn't fit that mould.'

With interest from artists and galleries in Germany, France, Argentina and Australia, plus a student support group at Camberwell School of art, the movement has definitely struck a chord, but whether a Stuckist painting will ever appear amongst the Bacons, Rothkos and Duchamps in Tate Modern is more doubtful.

• Stuck! Paintings by the Stuckists is showing from 20 May to 4 June at Metropole Arts Centre, The Leas, Folkestone, Kent (01303 255 070; www.stuckism.com)

Go see... the Stuckists

This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday May 14 2000 on p9 of the Comment & features section. It was last updated at 01:28 on May 14 2000.

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