On March 31st, we’re welcoming Ryan Callanan AKA RYCA back to Enter Gallery for his latest solo show, Words Are Weapons – a homage to quotes from films and TV shows that are so iconic they have the capacity to provoke emotion and nostalgia in us all.
From 6-8pm, come on down to Enter Gallery to experience RYCA’s latest typographic collection over a drink, and to meet the artist himself.
For today’s blog, we chatted to RYCA to discover more about his exciting new show and the inspirations behind it.
Words Are Weapons
Everyone has one – a favourite movie quote that makes us laugh out loud, punch the air in triumph or that brings a tear to our eye. Some of these phrases are so synonymous with popular culture that they’ve become part of the modern vernacular, with people quoting them at each other to express a particular sentiment or joke.
It’s the power of these quotes and phrases from our favourite movies and shows that RYCA is exploring in his latest exhibition. He tells us:
“This show is a selection of the iconic film and TV quotes that have stayed with me, and that you see reoccur time and again through images, clothing, memes and so on. These quotes have the innate ability to invoke emotion and nostalgia. They are the equivalent of super brands like Hoover and Google in that, although they are originally taken from a film, song or TV show, they now stand in their own right.
My new piece, Science Bitch is a prime example. It may originally be from Breaking Bad, but now people use it as a phrase, some not even knowing the original source.”
Movie Magic
Words Are Weapons is marking an anniversary for RYCA – 15 years since he created his first artworks, all of which were movie quotes. To mark the anniversary, the artist has remade one of his most popular pieces, Ape Shall Never Kill Ape for the show.
This piece sparked a remarkable career, and over the years since, we’ve seen RYCA showcase his love of cinema every step of the way. From Playtime, his 2022 show at Enter Gallery, which saw him reference classic movies like The Wizard of Oz and Jurassic Park with his first painting series, to his frequent references to Star Wars and cult classics like Reservoir Dogs and Alien.
Speaking of what people can expect from the new show, RYCA tells us:
“This show is my version of a word search. Some phrases will jump out at you immediately, while others will make you scratch your head.”
Words Are Weapons is happening on Friday 31st March from 6-8pm at Enter Gallery, Bond Street, Brighton. RSVP here to secure your place.
