John Gerrard
Exercise (Djibouti) 2012
7–29 July 2012
at The Old Power Station
Arthur Street
Oxford OX2 0AS, UK
Hours: daily, 12–6pm
Modern Art Oxford
30 Pembroke Street
Oxford OX1 1BP, UK
T +44 (0) 1865 722733
info [at] modernartoxford.org.uk
Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 is a new commission by John Gerrard, which is presented by Modern Art Oxford as a large-scale installation in a disused power station in Oxford, UK.
Further developing Gerrard’s realtime portraits of physical locations, the work harnesses advanced simulation and motion capture technologies to create a temporal collage in which disciplined athletic bodies perform a perpetual militarised exercise of strategic capability and intent. Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 extends themes that the artist has explored in other recent commissions, including Infinite Freedom Exercise (near Abadan, Iran) for Manchester International Festival and Live Fire Exercise (Djibouti), a collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor for The Royal Ballet.
The premiere of Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 will be accompanied by a round table titled SIMULATION, EXERCISE, OPERATIONS. This event brings together an interdisciplinary panel of experts for a discussion examining technologies of simulation and the way in which they are transforming the nature of violence, politics, and the image in the contemporary world. Participants include Antoine Bousquet, Shane Brighton, James Der Derian, Mark Fisher, Mark Hansen, Stepan Kment, Robin Mackay (Chair), Mick Morris, Eivind Røssaak, Anne-Françoise Schmid, and McKenzie Wark. The round table has been organised in association with Urbanomic. The round table event will be held with an invited audience. The discussion will be documented and made available for a wider audience.
Principal exhibition supporter: Audiomotion Studios.
Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 is commissioned by the Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art, Oxford University Sport and Modern Art Oxford and forms part of the London 2012 Festival. Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Culture Ireland, John Fell OUP Fund, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Podium, and Magdalen College, Oxford, the project also forms part of RELAY, a region-wide programme of new visual arts commissions and live events across the South East to mark the Olympic year.
The Old Power Station is located a 10-minute walk from Modern Art Oxford and a 2-minute walk from Oxford train station.
Public talks
John Gerrard
Tuesday, 10 July, 6pm
John Gerrard discusses Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 alongside other work from the Exercise series.
Magdalen College Auditorium, Longwall Street, Oxford OX1 4AU. Free, but booking essential at www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Caoimhin Mac Giolla Leith
Tuesday, 24 July, 6pm
Caoimhin Mac Giolla Leith, Senior Lecturer at University College Dublin, in conversation with John Gerrard. Old Power Station, Arthur Street, Oxford OX2 0AS. Free, but booking essential at www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Public tour
Dan Pinchbeck
Friday, 20 July, 4pm
Dan Pinchbeck, Creative Director of thechineseroom game studio and Reader in Computer Games, University of Portsmouth explores Exercise (Djibouti) 2012 in relation to media technology, gaming and art. Old Power Station, Arthur Street, Oxford OX2 0AS. Free.
*Image above:
Found research image for Exercise (Djibouti) 2012. Courtesy of Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System.
