Mayo & Friends exhibition at Perla-Mode is a young artist’s résumé, because graduation and new beginnings are imminent. Childhood is over, the friends are still there, but changes are happening, people are losing sight of each other, life in the adult world is taking its toll. Emigrate? Have children? Become an artist?
The motto is action, the job in Famous Artists studios brings money to survive, the style is crazy – and always with them: their friends – a gang of wild kids. They go against the expectations of serious life and have ideals such as friendship and solidarity, celebrate living together and take free space that is the biotope of their art and creativity. On the other hand, there are the values of society that promise success: Determination, earning money and consumption. Mayo & Friends are bucking this trend. Mayo & Friends convey a snapshot of the attitude to life of a generation that grew up in Zurich in the 1990s as the children of artists, squatters, DJs, hippies, nerds, ex-junkies and punks in search of their own identity. The confrontation with society and the formulation of their own goals are inevitable.
Mayo wants to gain an overview and wrestles with his overflowing collection of personal memories. Notes, photo albums, trainers, trainers, police cars, sketches, newspaper cuttings and artwork from friends are piled up in boxes and crates. Everything is meaningful, a diary and documentation.
Mayo’s wardrobe “Mayos Chleiderschrank”, in the salon on the first floor, tells of everyday life, work and parties. Clothing is always a costume, a statement and a style. The worn clothes are indications with traces of life and become artefacts in the walk-in wardrobe and an assurance of existence for the artist – art and life intermingle.
In the corner shop of Perla-Mode, Mayo presents a pop-up store specially created for this exhibition. Souvenirs, art, publications, photos, T-shirts, fashion and jewellery from Mayo & Friends will be sold in the gift shop. Mayo has invited friends from Paris to open the season: The Real Fake MC & DJ Suspect will be playing for Mayo & Friends and for all fans of Mayo & Friends & Perla-Mode!
Mayo & Friends are Mayo, Frida, Mayka, Manon, Lili, Michele Da Best, Sabo, Ferdi, Moe, Esta, Amos, Veli, Dario, Caro, Bombe, Hanna & Malou & Louis, Kristin & Frank, Sonja, Soene, Sinta, Moritz, August, Basil klein, Wundi, Domi, Lena, Simi, Linnéa, Tom, Sippi, Suska, Gahna & Mazot, Simi, Ädu, Ölu, Pius, Sami, Sämi, Ruben, Peter, Bambi, Heiko, Magdi, Luca, Jose Maria, Samir, Eric, Chantal, Stefan, Katrin, Joe, Charlotte, Silvan, Roman, Jason, Julia, Jakob, Peter, David, Aisha, Theresa, Etienne, Mia, Fuxi, Anna, Luzian, Cyril, Maude, Lucien, Lukas, Mouranne, Maya, Kuka, Rene, Pierre, Maeriem, Piet, Ingo, Lovis, Paola, Tamtam, Selina, Lea, Omar, Jerlyne, MC Fake, DJ Suspect, Adah, Leo, Marie, Arthur Ariel, Küde, Moni, Emily, Martina, Beni, Söne, Smi, Lea …