A new exhibition at Northampton's Arts Collective celebrates the work of Rose Finn-Kelcey, a conceptual artist known for her witty, direct and socially critical pieces. The show, housed in a £5m refurbished municipal building, marks a homecoming for the artist, who was born in Northampton in 1945 and died in 2014 from motor neurone disease.
Finn-Kelcey's work often combined humour with sharp social commentary. One of her most famous pieces, Power for the People (1972), involved hoisting two large flags on Battersea Power Station bearing punny slogans. The flags were removed after complaints from wealthy Chelsea residents, highlighting how power and privilege restrict collective expression.
The exhibition includes a photograph of swinging saloon bar doors installed in a Texas park, which act as dividers and comment on permission and exclusion. Another work, House Rules, uses two LED displays to contrast instructions with restrictions, critiquing societal control.
Spirituality is another recurring theme. A large rug depicts a Vatican stamp with God wearing an eye patch, while blobby yellow sculptures represent souls at the Pearly Gates. The standout piece is It Pays to Pray, a functional vending machine that dispenses poetic prayers for 20p, offering supplications for modern atheists.
Though not a full retrospective, the show provides an engaging introduction to an artist whose work remains relevant. It runs until 1 August.
