CHRIS DOBROWOLSKI
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      • Seascape Escape (No.1)
      • Landscape Escape (No.1)
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      • Timescape Escape
      • Landscape Escape (No.2) >
        • Sketches for Tank
      • Skyscape Escape
      • Essay/ Catalogue >
        • Introduction
        • Seascape Escape
        • Landscape Escape No. 1
        • Seascape Escape No.2
        • Landscape Escape No.2
        • Skyscape Escape
        • Timescape Escape
        • End-Piece
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      • Offer Must End Soon
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      • How We Won The War
      • "Stop me and buy one!"
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      • "Untitled" hanging itself
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      • Executive Toy!
      • Art Stunt Suicide Disaster
      • Roll up, Roll up. Get your Art here!
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      • It's for you
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      • Thatcher
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      • Tank Caravans Paint Brush
      • Buy to Let
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      • Project outline
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      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
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      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
    • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape , Escape >
      • Project Outline
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      • tours and extra stuff
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    • Toy Stories
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      • Boris zip wire
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      • Project Outline
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      • 'EK52 UDP'
      • 'VK02 GFK'
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      • Project Outline
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      • Red Sports Car, East To West
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      • Matchbox
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    • Badgast Residency >
      • Short Essay
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      • Fish
      • Chips
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        • Read an Extract
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      • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape , Escape
      • Aerial, wind, sun and radio
    • Group Projects >
      • oceans
      • Talk to me
      • & Model
      • Middlesbrough Art Weekender
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      • Catalogus Mareado
      • Kunst Over De Grens
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      • The Uses of an Artist
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      • Millennium Encyclopedia
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    • Contact
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Landscape Escape  (No.1)

Picture
Ferrens art Gallery, Hull. 'Landscape Escape' and a selection of landscapes from their painting archive. Two of the framed pictures are in fact photographs of the pedal car in the landscape (ie. crossing the Fenns on the way to London). The windscreen was eventually made from a gold picture frame and the headlights on the car spotlight the two images. 2002
​Childhood pram wheeled go karts were really the inspiration for Landscape Escape. It was one of those things I can remember doing as a child totally innocently. There was no ulterior motive, no one paid us; we didn’t get a qualification at the end of it. Growing up the children in my neighbourhood built them for the pure pleasure of getting to the end of the road on something we made ourselves. It just seemed to be something truthful and I felt that the art I created should be coming from the same place...And once it was finished I could escape from art college on it.   
Picture
Not one I made myself - it was bought from a shop but its the only go kart photo of me I could find.
Picture
Childen in Hull making pram wheeled go-karts like i had done as a kid. Unfortunately there are no hills in Hull so they have attached a handle to the back so they can push it to the nearby flyover.
Picture
Photo : Yusuke Toda
Picture
Car loaded with camping equipment outside our student digs ready to depart for Spurn Point
​Built from car and bicycle parts. The bonnet is only for storage as power comes from the two sets of pedals.

​The first journey was to the 'Spurn Point'; the tip of land sticking out into the mouth of the River Humber; the very edge of Holderness; the rural district between Hull and the sea. Effectively our objective was the "end of the land". 
​An unexpected outcome of making this car/bicycle was that it didn’t fall neatly into categorisation. Although the art college in Hull was very good and challenged me on more than one occasion about the validity of spending so much time making a pedal car.
Ultimately they accepted the artistic integrity of what I was doing. However, at this time in the early 90’s, there was still debate in the art world generally as to whether this was actually ‘art’.  Interestingly issues to do with 'categorisation' were mirrored by the authorities in the real world once it was on the road. There weren’t many home-made four wheeled pedal powered vehicles around at the time and to the police it seemed to fall into a legal grey area. 
Picture
Being stopped by the police on the way to Spurn point.
Picture
After a lot of discussion about whether it was legal, the police eventually let us go on our way but sent us off the main road... where we very quickly became lost.
Picture
Before I set off on a trip to London from Hull I asked the police for some clarity. Two men with clip boards from VIB (Vehicle inspection Branch) arrived. They weren't sure either.
Picture
Being stopped by a police woman somewhere in Lincolnshire on our way to London
​A full account of this journey is in the section of this website called 'Escape - publication' - "read an extract from the book".

Eventually I did leave Hull for good on the pedal car and managed to get all the way  to London in an attempt to find 'success!'. Needless to say I didn't find it.
Picture
Crossing the Fenns, Lincolnshire, on the way to London. Photo: Leo Hazelrigg
Picture
'Wimbledon Space'. The trunk has a record play in it that is connected to a movement sensor. Photo:- Nick Manser
​'Landscape Escape' was shown as part of 'Escape' , Wimbledon Space 2015. One headlamp bulb was replaced by a spotlight bulb the other was replaced by a Pico projector showing a film of the pedal car from 1990. The spotlight illuminated the label. On the label was printed the following...



​Chris Dobrowolski

Landscape Escape 1990- 2015


The pedal car was built in 1990 when Dobrowolski was still a student and is one of a series of vehicles made by the artist to escape from art college. These futile anti-art gestures have subsequently become actions synonymous with the artist’s love-hate relationship with the art world in general.
One of the artist’s concerns in this piece is to let the work speak for itself. Dobrowolski takes great pains to avoid labels that explain the content of his work, believing that a label highlights the failing of the work to convey meaning via visual language alone. In the 13 years since Landscape Escape was last shown in an art gallery, Dobrowolski developed a way of displaying his work that addressed these preoccupations, however- nobody cared. Consequently, he has shamelessly resorted to using a label here to convey more information about his artistic process than is, perhaps, self evident.
Today, a quarter of a century after Dobrowolski’s first escape attempts, the response of the contemporary art establishment continues to be one of indifference and, ironically, here is the pedal car displayed in an art college.
Picture
Photo:- Nick Manser
Picture
Music :- Nocturne in F sharp major. Chopin opus 15, No.2. Jan Paderewski. Photo:- Nick Manser
​ 

The music was triggered by a movement sensor hidden behind the grill at the front of the car. It was often triggered by somebody passing the front of the car to read the label. When it starts depends on where the record stopped previously after the last person walked away from the sensor. As the film plays continuously, where the music comes in is left entirely to chance. When the record reaches the end it resets itself to play from the beginning.

Although a Chopin record was used for this exhibition, in the past, a favourite piece of music was 'Do you know the way to San Jose' by Dione Warwick.
Picture
​The screen is a strange quadralateral shape to take into account the angle of the car to the wall.
(film 2 min.s 38 secs.) Camera: Chris Dob. and Eddie Weldon. ​ Music :- Nocturne in F sharp major. Chopin opus 15, No.2. Jan Paderewski.
Picture
1991. Crossing the Humber bridge, leaving Hull for ever, Photo: Leo Hazelrigg
Picture
In 2001 I was invited to be part of an exhibition in Vlaardingen, Rotterdam Holland ('Reisbureau Mareado'). I drove the pedal car there. In this image I am presenting my passport to Dutch passport control. Photo Eric Van Straaten
Click this button for the 'Reisbureau Mareado' page. 
mareado
Picture​'Landscape Escape' at Spurn Point , 'The end of the land' .





Picture
One of the better newspaper images of the car. T 4 2 was a reference to the bonnet being made from a tea chest. It was title I soon dropped once I realised how cheesey it was. I also got rid of the number plate.
  • Home
  • in the art gallery
    • Transit Transition >
      • Train Wave
      • The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
      • Self Evaluation
      • something About Global Capitalism But Less Ernest
      • The Man From Human Resources Is Coming to See You
      • The Ofsted Inspection
      • The Risk Assessment
      • Personal development training day
      • My Matchbox Toy Lorry
      • The Zero Hours Contract
      • The Plinth
    • Remnants Of Utopia >
      • Austerity Miniature Mayday Parade
      • The Contract
      • Agitprop/anti-agitprop Train
      • Siberia
      • How We Won The War
      • Revolutionary Reminder
      • The Marketing Team
    • Antarctica >
      • Project Outline
      • Antarctica Essay
      • Reviews
      • Sledge
      • Toy Sledge
      • Airfix Antarctic Aeroplane Hoover
      • Eating Penguins
      • The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
      • Toy Snowmobile
      • Rat Box, Bird Island
      • Rejection Letters
      • The Last Roll Of Kodachrome In The World
      • John Deere Gator And Specimen
      • There Are No More Dogs In Antarctica
      • Furthest South- J C B
      • Captain Scotts Bookshelf
      • Antarctic Toy Portraits
    • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape , Escape >
      • Seascape Escape (No.1)
      • Landscape Escape (No.1)
      • Seascape Escape (No.2)
      • Timescape Escape
      • Landscape Escape (No.2) >
        • Sketches for Tank
      • Skyscape Escape
      • Essay/ Catalogue >
        • Introduction
        • Seascape Escape
        • Landscape Escape No. 1
        • Seascape Escape No.2
        • Landscape Escape No.2
        • Skyscape Escape
        • Timescape Escape
        • End-Piece
      • Reviews and Press
    • Offer Must End Soon >
      • Essay Jess Twyman
      • Reviews
      • Offer Must End Soon
      • Buy My Painting!
      • "Buy My Painting!" For the hard of hearing.
      • "Don't Make Me Take It All Back Home With Me!"
      • How We Won The War
      • "Stop me and buy one!"
      • 'The Cornfield'... free gift inside
      • "Catalogue!"
      • The Contemporary Art Scene
      • Camera Crash
      • "Untitled" hanging itself
      • Buy My Fucking Painting!
      • Absolut Ship !
      • Executive Toy!
      • Art Stunt Suicide Disaster
      • Roll up, Roll up. Get your Art here!
    • Big Country >
      • Big Country
      • The box you stick your head into
      • Europa, Hoek van Holland to Vladivostok
      • Caravans
      • magazine article
    • All at Sea
    • & Model >
      • Reviews
    • Give Me The Money
    • Music and domestic appliances >
      • Sketch for aeroplane
      • The Plinth
      • Cold War Monument
      • Wagon Wheels
      • Vacuum Cleaner Circle
    • ...on the wall...in boxes >
      • My Shitty Studio No.2
      • Sketch for aeroplane No.6
      • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape, Fire Escape
      • My horrible studio No.1
      • Untitled 240 Volts
      • On the way to the beach party
      • Toy Me No.2
      • It's for you
    • Sweet Jars, glass cases on books >
      • Thatcher
      • The council estate is coming
      • Attack drone and books
      • Muck Spreader
      • Trojan Horse
      • Security Camera
      • Move
      • Epsom Printer, Tank, God
      • Contemporary art- its the law!
      • Tank Caravans Paint Brush
      • Buy to Let
      • Section 21
  • On The Stage
    • All Roads Lead To Rome >
      • Project outline
      • reviews
    • Antarctica >
      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
    • Poland 3 Iran 2 >
      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
    • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape , Escape >
      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
      • tours and extra stuff
    • How NOT to make a living as an Artist
    • Toy Stories
  • Outside the art gallery
    • Auspicious Phoenix Recycling Palace
    • Covid lockdown with Boris >
      • Boris zip wire
      • Covidtrix
      • what is the truth but a lie agreed upon
    • Goat Train
    • washed up Car - go >
      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
      • 'EK52 UDP'
      • 'VK02 GFK'
      • 'Y194 LPP'
      • Washed Up Car-go (Hastings)
      • Washed Up Car- go (Brighton)
    • Vanishing Point >
      • Project Outline
      • Reviews
      • Red Sports Car, East To West
      • Studebaker Camera Car, Going To The Beach
      • Kite And Candy, Buick
      • Kennedy Lincoln Continental
      • Ambulance Emergency
      • Pink Mustang, at the Golden Gate Bridge
      • Matchbox
      • Instant Gratification
    • Badgast Residency >
      • Short Essay
      • De Wrede Zee
      • Fish
      • Chips
      • Windmill
      • Panorama Mesdag
    • Selfie Slot Car Racing >
      • Project Outline
      • Film by Andy Wiltshire
      • Librarian Pit Crew
      • Experiments with sound
      • Selfie Slot Car Racing at Firstsite Gallery
      • Flitwick Library
    • Coventry Transport Museum Residency >
      • Coventry Concept
      • Poetry Vending Machine
    • Cheap Cheap >
      • Review
    • A Portrait of Casper DeBoer
    • Cranes
    • Hessle Road Residency >
      • Hessle Road (continued)
    • Reisbureau Mareado >
      • Mareado (Continued)
      • City magazine review
    • Windmills >
      • Aerial, wind, sun and radio
      • Guitar Played by the Wind >
        • Winners and Losers
      • Self Portrait
      • Jesus punches banker
    • Performance Sculptures >
      • The groundsman
      • All seeing bicycle lamp
      • Pasta 4 one
      • Revolutionary Reminder
  • publications
    • Solo projects >
      • Escape >
        • Read an Extract
      • Antarctica
      • Offer Must End Soon
      • Tangents
      • Landscape, Seascape, Skyscape , Escape
      • Aerial, wind, sun and radio
    • Group Projects >
      • oceans
      • Talk to me
      • & Model
      • Middlesbrough Art Weekender
      • Translating the Street
      • 1st Sino/british Cont. Art, Yentai
      • Performance, Transport And Mobility
      • Inbetween PS1, New York and Shanghai
      • Odd Coupling
      • Landscapes of Exploration
      • Flip Shift Show Switch
      • Baudrillard Now
      • The Juddykes
      • Dr Roberts Magic Bus
      • Continental Breakfast
      • Lat (living Apart Together)
      • North. Amsterdam 2004
      • Westwijk, Vlaardingen, De Strip
      • Da Da Da Strategies Against Marketecture
      • Reisburo Mareado (The Travel Brochure)
      • Catalogus Mareado
      • Kunst Over De Grens
      • This Flat Earth
      • The Uses of an Artist
      • Kettles Yard Open 97
      • Royal College Of Art Centenary Year
      • Millennium Encyclopedia
    • Press
  • About / contact
    • Biog
    • CV >
      • Solo Exhibitions
      • Live Art
      • Residencies / Commissions
      • Group Exhibitions
      • Education
      • Career History
      • Media Coverage
    • Contact
    • are you on the right website?