Denzil Forrester features in 'No Such Thing as Society 1980–1990'
Denzil Forrester features in 'No Such Thing as Society 1980–1990' as part of Modern and Contemporary British Art at Tate Britain.
On display is 'Three Wicked Men' (1982), a painting that recounts the story of Winston Rose, a close friend of Denzil Forrester who died in police custody in 1981. Its title is taken from a reggae track that criticises the actions of the police, politicians, and businessmen, highlighting the harm they inflict on society. In the artwork, two policemen stand on either side of Rose, their presence seemingly draining colour from the scene around them.
Forrester juxtaposes themes of social injustice with vivid recollections of his childhood. Peter Doig notes that these “dreamlike” works “emerge as much from [the artist’s] imagination as from his studies of real life” and possess “a subtlety and form that has perhaps come about because he is reflecting upon his past.".
