For Paul Carter’s largest solo show to date, MUNICIPAL is a commissioned installation developing Carter’s ongoing interest in the unifying concept that every building designed for public use is a kind of hotel; the artist’s studio, civic centres, government buildings, our homes, galleries, museums, institutional structures and shopping centres. These are all constructed spaces for human exchange, employment and shelter, in which we simultaneously exist as both guest and worker.

Working with the notion that all architectures are transitory constructs, acting as anonymous, functional service providers within our daily lives, MUNICIPAL investigates the role and function of civic structures: social club, town hall, courtroom, social services, public convenience, hotel, sauna, social housing and government architectures.

Questioning these physical civic structures, their internal workings and ideologies, Carter explores municipal architecture’s (dys)functionality, (in)convenience, limitations and social intimacy.

Paul Carter will be in conversation with writer, curator and critic Sacha Craddock on Thursday 22 September at 7pm (tickets are free but limited, please email [email protected] to reserve your place).

An exhibition text by Sacha Craddock will be available throughout the show.

Paul Carter lives and works in London. He has exhibited internationally including major solo exhibitions at Lubomirov / Angus Hughes, London; ExeterPhoenix, Exeter; Shift Gallery, London; LOBE London Berlin; Standpoint Gallery, London; Art Kunst, Berlin and Matts Gallery, London. Group exhibitions include Whitechapel Gallery, London; Fieldgate Gallery, London; David Risley Gallery, London and Mains D’Oeuvres, Paris. Paul won the Mark Tanner Sculpture Award 2008-2009 and in 2008 was nominated for the Paul Hamlyn Award.

MUNICIPAL is generously supported by The Elephant Trust, Arts Council England and Southwark Council.

Launch Gallery