Cultural critique via vintage paperbacks.

By turns funny and philosophical, the Connor Brothers’ pulp fiction series is now on display across both levels at Red Eight Gallery — as featured in this month’s edition of The Handbook.

The British duo’s highly popular artworks use a combination of hand painting and silkscreen varnish upon books printed in the middle of the last century: to make a commentary on the state of society today. Human emotion, too, taking on issues such as love and relationships as well as themes of consumerism and social conventions, all told with a subtle lightness of touch — with humour and irony.

Red Eight Gallery explains how the duo intends “to provoke thought and engage viewers by blending visual art with literary elements. This exploration of fact and fabrication is rooted in their fictitious backstory, with the artists originally claiming to be twins Franklyn and Brendan Connor, two brothers who were brought up within the new age cult, The Family.”

View the collection at the gallery in The Royal Exchange and online here.