James Capper is as much an inventor as he is an artist, and that’s always been
something of a problem for him. Capper makes useless machines, like one
resembling a giant yellow praying mantis that lurches and sputters over the
ground, churning up earth with its gigantic claws. As you watch it in
action, your concern is primarily for the safety of the driver perched high
up in the teetering cabin – and for anyone unlucky enough to be standing in
his way. Pretty much the last thing you think about is art or beauty.
What is on display in this show is not one of Capper’s machines but six lethal
blades detached from it, arranged on the gallery floor. That may be because
the machine wouldn’t fit in the gallery, but the effect is