Henry Coombes: Laddy and the Lady

Glasgow-based artist Henry Coombes takes over the main live art space in the building for a spectacular presentation of his latest work, a film entitled Laddy and the Lady. We follow the story of an out-of-control golden retriever, Laddy, owned by a Lady, on a pheasant shoot. Scenes of the shoot are inter-cut with flashbacks to Laddy’s troubled past as a puppy, wrenched from his mother’s side. On the shoot, Laddy is subjected to forms of physical and verbal abuse associated with gun dog handling. His inability to behave and retrieve the dead birds results in relentless punishment. Laddy becomes a receiver – a golden receiver – of abuse.

Born in London in 1977, Henry Coombes completed a BA in Fine Art at The Glasgow School of Art, winning the School’s prestigious Newbery Medal for best graduate in 2002. Since then, Henry has built up an impressive range of projects, including solo shows at Glasgow’s Transmission and Switchspace galleries, and he is now represented by Sorcha Dallas. Henry was awarded a £15,000 Scottish Arts Council Film and Video Award for the making of this film.

Pressetext

Henry Coombes
Laddy and the Lady