People United and Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park explored the theme of ‘humour’ with Birmingham-based street-artist Foka Wolf and locals from the West Midlands.

Foka Wolf is an anonymous Birmingham based urban artist who has been plastering their work on the streets for over a decade. Their subject matter ranges from cartoons to celebrities, but their most recognisable works are satirical adverts. Foka Wolf’s ‘advertising agency’ work traverses the lines of both comedy and political commentary.

 

Following the joint call-out from People United and Compton Verney, Foka Wolf said...

The submission guidelines could have been made for me – text-based artworks using humour to help people be more empathetic and kind towards one another. I am really intrigued to see how this sort of work will sit in a parkland and gallery setting. Usually my work is out on the roadside, but here I can observe the Compton Verney gallery goers’ reactions in the flesh. I am hoping to bring about some positivity through these installations.

Foka Wolf’s exploration of the theme ‘humour’ resulted in their brand-new outdoor art trail, The Open Arms, which launched in September 2020. Foka Wolf’s signature comedic advertisements were fused with inspiration from Compton Verney’s British Folk Art collection, creating an immersive art experience for visitors to the parkland of Compton Verney.

The Open Arms exhibition was inspired by social solidarity found in the West Midlands during the Coronavirus pandemic and served as a reminder of the role of humour as a tool for empathy and resilience. It was exhibited at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park in Autumn 2020 and attracted over 20,000 visitors.

A wooden walkway next to trees and bushes. With a wire and wooden fence along the edge. Attached to the wires is a bottle-shaped sign saying
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
An old wooden fence with chicken wire with long wild grass and wild flowers ground around it. On the fence is a red sign saying
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
Photo of evergreen trees with a blue wooden sign in front of them saying
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
Photo of a tree with a large outstretched branch. Hanging from the branch is a red sign in the shape of a hand with it's index finger outstretched pointing to the right and the words
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
A wooden walkway with a wire and wooden fence along the side. Behind that are bushes and trees. On the wires lining the path is a yellow sign with red writing saying
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
A patch of mown grass in front of wild grass, bushes and trees, in the background is a pond or stream. In the wild grass is a small wooden sign saying
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
A wrought iron gate between two mowed-grass fields. A circular sign on the gate says
The Open Arms by Foka Wolf © Michael Robertson-Smith
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