The University of Essex Gallery presents a group exhibition of internationally acclaimed contemporary artists Richard Wentworth, Duane Michals, Jorge Macchi, Ivan Navarro, Chema Madoz, and the emerging artists Frode Fjerdingstad and Marcus Palmqvist .
The show has been organised by a group of 5 up-and-coming curators on MA Gallery Studies and Critical Curating for the 21st Century course at the University of Essex. Hailing from different corners of the globe, one is from Colchester, another Ipswich, two are from Greece and one is from Argentina.
They have curated an exhibition which explores the absurd, the inexplicable and the playful, presenting a selection of artworks which come from different areas of artistic practices and ideas.
The exhibition intends to challenge our assumptions of the everyday world and demonstrate the construction of meanings through a creative and innovative juxtaposition of an assorted body of artworks.
Using a concrete visually theatrical concept. Reality Undone generates an unsettling experience through its gestural quality and develops a sense of uncertainty, subversion and the unexpected inspired by a playful sensation and a nod to dada and surrealism.
The artworks combine to create a connection highlighting dissidence with a visual, iconographic reference to Magritte, Surrealist installations and film-noir.
All artworks reflect a sense of displacement and illusion, a feeling of disruption, and a conscious blurring of the real und unreal. Bringing together the dream state - meant as an idiosyncratic state of demonstrated subjectivity or unconsciousness - and reality.
Richard Wentworth's practice centres on the idea of transformation; his English Sandwich performs a visual surgery questioning common meaning found in everyday language, introducing an innovative code of communication.
Now Becoming Then by Duane Michals is about moments when time does not seem to follow a continuous linear flow, where 'now' is a void of consciousness. The Bogeyman, on the other hand, transforms us into an unseen witness to a terrifying story of exploration, leaving us unable to rationalize our feelings.
Jorge Macchi's piece speculates on the idea of a fabrication of reality . In Parallel Lives, a doubling of visual identity interlinks fact and fiction. Two sheets of glass with opposing lives; the violent coincidence of shattered glass opposes the precision of cutting.
Chema Madoz assaults familiar objects and confronts our expectations through illogical situations. A dark sense of humour and ironic metaphors in his monochrome interventions test our mental dexterity.
Frode and Marcus 's series explores the action of drifting through a dislocated environment, offering a new way of seeing the landscape. The artist Iván Navarro challenges assumptions about function through the use of "ready-made" materials such as fluorescent light bulbs. Yellow Stepladder reflects a political charge, challenging institutional practices of the state.
This experimental exhibition makes fresh links between the selected artists, aiming to develop established interpretations of their work.
Dr Neil Cox, Chair of Colchester's Visual Arts Trust and Head of Department of Art History and Theory, University of Essex comments: "This exciting project is all about those moments when we are no longer certain what we see or what we think, everyday occurrences that momentarily confuse us - and then often amuse us. The range of art on show will certainly stimulate surprise and stay with the visitor long after seeing the works in the University Gallery."
An exciting programme of events and late openings supports the show. The gallery space will be transformed with film screenings, commissioned sound installations and special events.
Signals Media Arts are collaborating on the project and shorts from their archive will be on shown at the gallery on May 23rd and at the Headgate theatre on May 15 th, and there will be receptions afterwards with food and drinks. Wednesday evenings will see the gallery open late, until 8pm, for visitors who work 9 to 5pm on weekdays.
Address:
University of Essex Gallery
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Essex
England
General information (Tel) : 01206 873184
The Gallery is open Monday–Friday 11-5 | Saturday 11-4.30 | Wednesday Late openings 5-8 | Admission Free
