'Why fit in when you were born to stand out?': The Connor Brothers bring their Pulp Fiction series to Dubai

The artist duo are known for pairing vintage pin-ups with witty lines

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Update, March 18, 2020: This exhibition has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. According to organisers, new dates will be announced as soon as possible.

Sultry pin-up beauties paired with blasé quips – “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” and “I don’t care what anybody says about me as long as it isn’t true.” No, they’re not Tumblr quotes. They are part of a series of artworks created by The Connor Brothers, an artist duo from the UK.

The men behind the pseudonym – Mike Snelle and James Golding – are bringing ten artworks to Dubai for the first time. Two of the pieces are in Arabic, another first for the artists. The exhibition will be on view at The Fridge in Alserkal Avenue from Wednesday to Saturday, March 25 to April 4.

The pair made their name with paintings and prints that featured Old Hollywood glamour and witty captions. These visual and phrases exemplify the look and language of pulp magazines, low-brow fiction that gained popularity in the 1920s to 1940s. Their genres often revolve around adventure, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi and romance.

Artist duo The Connor Brothers are presenting works in Arabic for the first time. Courtesy The Connor Brothers
Artist duo The Connor Brothers are presenting works in Arabic for the first time. Courtesy The Connor Brothers

In their work, The Connor Brothers use artifice and popular culture as a way to dig into the truths of contemporary society. Beneath the garishness of pulp fiction lies insights into human nature that we may not always see.

Interestingly, the duo’s entry into the art world around 2012 was also an artifice. They presented themselves as Franklyn and Brendan Connor, twin brothers who grew up in a California cult called “The Family” and eventually ran away to settle in Brooklyn, New York at 16 years old. The two British artists revealed their real identities in 2014.

Postponed until further notice; The Fridge, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.alserkalavenue.ae