QUICKSAND
Solid ground makes you think about
where you are going, unstable surfaces
make you think about what moves you
now.
02 April - 23 May 2004
De Appel Centre of Contemporary Art
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10 Amsterdam
t +31 206255651 press [at] deappel.nl
Opening: Thursday April 1 6- 8 PM
Image: Mircea Cantor, The Landscape is Changing, 2003
Participating Artists: Edgar Arceneaux, Fikret Atay, Yael Bartana, Jota Castro, Mircea Cantor, Sulki Choi, Hubert Czerepok, Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil, Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Amel Ibrahimovic, Jeppe Hein, Erik van Lieshout, Jean-Luc Moulene, Jenny Perlin, Sebastian Romo, Tilman Wendland
Quicksand as a phenomenon is an exceptional condition in which sand becomes fluid. Quicksand is an exhibition that looks at the world as it undergoes significant political and social changes: a show that embraces many uncontrollable moments. The artists in this show neither have Utopian visions as vehicles for production, nor are they apocalyptic in their stance. What the artists have in common is a critical engagement with the present.
The artworks presented in this exhibition reflect upon issues like the changing of regimes and the influence the media has on public consciousness, amongst others. These themes reflected in contemporary art mirror complex political situations of a world in flux. Instead of focusing on one particular region or sociopolitical problem, Quicksand looks at how artists from 13 different countries deal with notions of instability, uncertainty and provoke existential questions through their work.
Renaud Auguste-Dormeuil challenges the notion of a safe distance from media-generated experiences of terrorism and safety; Jota Castro breaks personal and historical icons; Jenny Perlin translates appropriated texts on fear, uncertainty and the need for control in an American consumer society into fragile handwriting; Mircea Cantor reveals the changes occurring in Tirana through the mirror of demonstrators; Edgar Arcenaux makes non-linear timetables of historical prophesies for the future; Van Lieshout lives and reflects on normality in a mental hospital; Sulki Choi maps the frequency of political ideas in the news, while Jeppe Hein encourages the museum visitor to bear the consequences of experiencing art that changes your expectations of life.
Curated by the Curatorial Training Programme 2003-04: Danila Cahen (Netherlands), Binna Choi (S. Korea), Bree Edwards (USA), Amiel Grumberg (France), Solvej Helweg Ovesen (Denmark) and Victor Palacios (Mexico)
A parallel series of events will take place during the exhibition. The German artist Tilman Wendland has been invited to redesign the presentation space by adding architectural functions to the attic where the Tuesday night events are to be held.
April 6: Film screening of new work by Jenny Perlin and Amel Ibrahimovic.
April 13: Live interview with Erik van Lieshout.
April 20: “Survivors of the White Cube”, a board game by Hubert Czerepok about the art world. All are invited to play.
April 27: A presentation of public art projects for the Pijp area of Amsterdam. Initiated by the CTP in collaboration with SKOR (Foundation for Art and Public Space) and Stichting Combiwel.
De Appel
Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10 Amsterdam
t +31 206255651 press@deappel.nl www.deappel.nl
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