Glen Fitzpatrick (A.K.A  Fitzy593)  Born 1971
 
The exhibition Symbols of Society (S.O.S. 9.9.9) used icons, signs and the language of metaphor in order to create a surreal journey and narrative through his reflections of a war fought over “black gold”: oil. The artist’s fierce anti-war polemic addresses current affairs in the context of modern British foreign policy in the Middle East.

This was also a personal journey for Glenn Fitzpatrick, a Gulf War Veteran (1991) trying to integrate back into society. After returning from the Gulf War, Fitzpatrick found it hard to comprehend and express his experiences and thoughts. He began to study Fine Art at Canterbury (KIAD), and received a scholarship award for his final MA Degree in 2001, regularly producing, but only occasionally exhibiting his highly personal work.

For this exhibition, Symbols of Society (S.O.S. 9.9.9), he had created large-scale, highly proficient and intricate pen and ink drawings, which were exhibited alongside his subversive and challenging installations, thereby creating a discourse on the politics of greed and hegemony.  The artist feels it is “perhaps easier to look at metaphors, rather then stare difficult issues straight in the face”, referring to the complexity and intrusiveness of using direct and literal evidence as a basis for analysis.

The acronym Symbols Of Society, S.O.S, also referred to the false acronym (or “backronym”), SOS - from the Morse Code warning sequence. The visual warning sign, SOS, links to the numerical 999 emergency telephone number, and this co-incidence led the artist to notice that the price of fuel was £0.99.9 when he finished his first drawing.

09.09.09. is also the date of Private View for the exhibition. 

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