Rebirth
Islington Arts Factory
2 Parkhurst Road, London, N7 0SF
www.islingtonartsfactory.org.uk
18th April – 15th May 2009
Private View: Friday 17th April 7-9pm
Sawako Ando
Oona Culley
Mathilda Holmqvist
Bruno Jamaica
Virginie Litzler
Stella Orkopoulou
Fran Ortega
Edward Parkinson
This exhibition presents the work of eight artists whose varied approaches to their practice are framed by a shared experience of working as the assistants of another artist, Zadok Ben-David. Coming together to produce this exhibition, each artist has centered their attention on the ‘event’ of their encounter with one another, which has prompted the concept of ‘rebirth’ as a unifying theme for the exhibition. Each artist will present new work displayed here for the first time.
The idea of rebirth is both generative and destructive, but should not be seen as an entirely blank slate: on the one hand, we are able to locate a new space to inhabit, in which fresh opportunities present themselves and new directions are formed, whilst on the other, we are forced to adjust our way of thinking and to leave certain customs and presuppositions to one side. We remain ourselves, however – our singularity is not lost. Emmanuel Levinas describes the process of creativity and becoming as the moment when we escape from the awareness of our bodies regularity (blood circulating, hunger and tiredness forming), and are free to act creatively. We return, however, to our original state when this energy or inspiration temporarily runs out. We might think of our daily lives as a continual movement, which encounters new ideas and energies, prompting the possibility of finding new ways to work. An encounter with a group of other artists creates one such possibility.
The work of the artists in this exhibition follows a rhythm that emphasizes both continuation and renewal: each has presented new work that continues their ongoing engagements in particular forms of art practice (for example painting, photography or installation) where they have established specific styles and approaches, but which in this exhibition is given the opportunity to take a new form. An exhibition, as a site for experimentation, has here allowed for the different artists to revisit either discarded ways of working, finding in them new life and unexplored potentialities, or has provided the scope for a new approach to the production and display of their already demarcated practice. The works in this exhibition, engaging with display, the viewer and the represented figures and forms, ask of the viewer to actively ask questions about what is available to be seen, and what may be taken from the experience.
Islington Arts Factory is open:
Mon – Thu 10am – 11pm, Fri 10am – 7pm
Sat & Sun 10am – 5:30pm
Nearest Tube: Holloway Road or Caledonian Road
This exhibition is free of charge.
Please contact Siti Osman at siti.at.work@gmail.com for further information.
