Chad McCail

Giants. Works 1997–2020

Verlangen nach einer neuen Welt

Chad McCail’s (b. Manchester, 1961; lives and works in Thankerton, Scotland) artistic practice comprises illustrations, paintings, and installations as well as theater and performance workshops, all dedicated to the quest for visions of a new world. For over 20 years, he has made drawings in the style of instruction leaflets or graphic manuals, bearing descriptive titles like People Take Turns to Do the Difficult Jobs, Wealth Is Shared, Money Is Destroyed, Prisoners Are Freed, and People Stop Using Things. What might seem ironic pleasantries turn out upon closer examination to be serious inquiries into alternatives to the norms that rule our everyday lives. McCail probes issues around sexuality and violence, focusing on psychoanalytical practices. Simulating the pedagogical appeal of children’s book illustrations, his works chart an alternative reality of life.

The monograph illuminates McCail’s conceptual and intuitive psychoanalytical approach. With writings by the artist, Charles Esche, Chris Gilbert, Tom Hopkin, Madeleine Kennedy, Marina Martić, Alistair Robinson, and Marcus Verhagen and a conversation with the artist by Giovanna C. Coppola.