Jim Shaw — The Ties That Bind
(c)Jim Shaw, 1996
Dream Object ("There was this painted head of Jesus with statues of saints inserted into his face and beard. Then I saw another tortured Jesus with suffering statues inserted"), 1996
Since the 1990s, for Jim Shaw, his own dreams have been an important source of inspiration. They are the basis for 'Dream Drawings', in which he captures subconscious narratives in comic style. And later for 'Dream Objects', a very varied series of sculptures that are often a nod to the style of other artists. The drawings can be seen as a way of organising material from Shaw's dreams – the 'Dream Objects' as ultimate manifestation of his creative unconscious. The long titles that serve as a description of the dream in question are typical too. This work refers to Shaw's fascination with religion. Over the years, he has been collecting religious and educational material, including kitschy oil paintings, banners, flyers, and manuals produced by a proliferation of American cults. In this way, Shaw focuses on the importance of image creation and communication for these religious movements.