John Lee Bird’s brings solo exhibition to The Crypt, London from 9th-29th August
This intimate display of John’s creative imagination through small-scale textile dolls will wow you.
Tucked away in an underground pub is a doll exhibition by the genius, John Lee Bird.
I was greeted warmly by him before I could step into his lair of imagination. He was a piece of artwork himself with a campy-gothic paint dripping down his head. I could not wait to dive into his world of art, knowing the person behind it has such a lovely yet intriguing presence.
I may have taken five or six rounds to completely capture the essence of each doll in the exhibition. They were all dolls of friends and celebrity idols who are an inspiration to him.
I think my favourite would have to be the doll Scarlet Johansson’s ‘Under The Skin‘. I’m a huge fan and John’s doll is the perfect representation of such an underrated film.
It was then that I realised that each of the dolls had intricate details that told a story. Some were statement dolls, others were silly, goofy and absolutely out of this world. No really, there were aliens and predators.
The entire display was an enigma and the depths of John’s mind made me wonder, how does he do it? And why?
I asked him a few questions to understand the purpose behind his explorative, niche art.
- When did the creation of your dolls begin? What sparked the idea?
I had a little accident and slipped, ended up in hospital and diagnosed with a spinal problem. I could barely walk or do anything so confined to my kitchen table I looked down at my art/craft stash of materials and spotted some sheets of black and white felt and a ball of orange wool and for some crazy reason (or just because I’m a Bowie nut) decided I’d make a David Bowie doll; the look from the LOW album and THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH.
Twelve hours of messing around later it was done. All the little movements, reaching out to pick up cotton, stretch to grab some stuffing or some beads…it was a form of exercise and relief from the pain I was in. Plus hand stitching takes time so it filled the day of boredom trapped at home and distracted me from the pain I was in. So that night I ordered a whole bunch of felt. I’d made one Bowie so now I surely had to make 69, because he died when he was 69. Thankfully Amazon did next day delivery so my project was born. For 69 days I made a new Bowie doll each day. It was an excuse to dive deep into each album and outtakes and live recordings. To play things on loop as I stitched. I used stitching and Bowie as therapy.
- How long does it take to make one of them?
About 12 hours of constant sewing. Minus quite a few roll-up breaks when my brain is boggling over how to fold or roll or cut a piece of felt to conjure it into an outfit. Working out tiny pattern cutting isn’t really a thing I’d done before. Problem solving tailoring conundrums sort of motivate me while I’m stitching the boring bits like legs and arms. The fun bit is at the end when all the details start flowing into place.
- Do you feel like this helped you find your calling as an artist?
I still draw and cut lino prints and make music. But making these ‘doll’ sculptures does give me focus. It’s become a daily practice, something that had never been on the horizon for something I wanted to do. I actually still have no idea why it’s consumed me so much, other than those odd stretches and problem solving bits that I mentioned earlier. I guess it really is just about me being so locked away from socialising, so I’m trying to document my heroes and friends.
To show them how much I appreciate them and how they inspire and motivate me. It’s a way to say hi and remind people that they’re important. Dolling up my iDOLLS.
- Which doll/collection of dolls do you have a deeper connection to? Any favourites?
Bowie, Alien, Derek Jarman, Simon Fisher Turner, Xiu Xiu, the ones of my cabaret and performance friends. Especially the ones that I’ve roped in to bring their dolls to life at this exhibition.
The ones I’ve made silly videos for: there’s a whole playlist on my YouTube channel where I’ve recreated trailers or made little promo videos for songs. Silly, humble tributes. Fully felted from my heart.
- What do you hope for people to experience throughout this exhibition?
I hope people will look at their own inspirations and idols. Mix it all up like I do. Place their family and friends in the same rightful position with their heroes of stage and screen. To work out their own web…and maybe point out some idols I may have missed from my own obsessions along the way. My fingers still need to be busy!
John has a wonderful community of friends who support him. I was invited to the opening night with performances by his dearest friends and icons Sukie Smith, Dusty Limits and Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something.
The energy in the room was friendly, warm and full of laughter. If you’re looking for a cozy bar with vibrant people and a mind-bending exhibition in London, this is your sign to be a part of John’s brilliant way of existing.
For tickets, visit https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/null/t-vvdokkz
2Shades Magazine 