*89

About

ubada muti is about to complete his 89 days of the residency, as graphically depicted in his takeover of our poster design. This artist’s practice defies definition. Each time one grasps hold of a thread to understand an avenue of his explorations a new tide will wash over and another layer will be exposed, eclipsing the previous understanding. Thus is the active and ongoing ‘conversation’ as well as permanent condition of ‘learning’ and questioning. Throughout his time with us, ubada has invited friends, colleagues, former classmates and children to collaborate and work together in the upstairs studio. Space, walls and materials combined with conversation result in each collaboration layering into the last, producing a vast number of many handed works, an accumulation of pieces, evidence of time shared informing, growing and changing. ubada sets a task, a framework, an experiment, a use of time - unpredictable. Yet the choices of material, collaborators as well as the physicality of ways of working are undeniably ubada’s. As an artist confronts the intimidating enormity of choices to express the questions asked, ubada’s choices are profoundly liberating and fluid, yet the body of work consistent and unique to him. A ‘pallet’ of people, time, paint, paper, a grid, a space and many conversations allows him to further understand his question of “what is to share”. The final exhibition will undoubtedly confound and delight, eluding total comprehension, a number of glimpses, windows, fragments demonstrating that to imagine total understanding is unachievable. This is an artist in constant flux through time. ubada’s experiment of sharing has had an invaluable impact on our organisation, redefining how we think about our Foundation as well as how we approach experiences at Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop. Socrates once said: "I do not think that I know what I do not know.” Socratic wisdom is a sort of humility: it simply means being aware of how little one really knows; how uncertain one's beliefs are; and how likely it is that many of them may turn out to be mistaken.

About Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop and the Workshop Foundation:

Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop is Workshop Foundation’s exhibition and residency space in London. It supports a diverse range of emerging and mid-career contemporary artists by providing them with space and time to develop their practice, championing principles of integrity and rigour. Through its residency programmes and exhibitions, it gives artists, curators and theorists a platform to present work and share ideas as well as creating an environment for freethinking and exchange.

The Foundation seeks to progress artists’ careers and connect them to the public. It has now organised 20 exhibitions with over 100 artists and curators.

Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop was founded in 2015 by artist Stacie McCormick in a former builder’s merchant.

About the founder:

Stacie McCormick has over 25 years’ experience working in the arts internationally, both as a practicing artist and currently as director of Workshop Foundation. Having worked in the architectural design sector as well as marketing, she brings a new perspective to the art viewing experience. From 2009-14 she ran the non-profit art initiative Home Where Art Is in Charleston, SC, USA, encompassing a residency programme and final exhibition with international artists for the benefit of this regional community. McCormick holds a Masters degree in Fine Art from City & Guilds of London Art School. A selection of recent group exhibitions include Auto-Destruct, Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop, London (2018), The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, London (2017), and Empire II at the 57th Venice Biennale (2017). Through these experiences, she has gained a deep understanding of the challenges artists face today and built a strong network of cultural practitioners.   

EXHIBITION DETAILS

Title: *89

Exhibition dates: 26 April – 4 May 2019

Opening day: 25 April, 6 – 9pm

Address: 1 Bard Road, London, W10 6TP

Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 11am – 5pm

Contact: +44 (0)75 4831 5800 | info@unit1gallery-workshop.com

Website: www.unit1gallery-workshop.com

Instagram: @unit1galleryworkshop

Twitter: @Unit1_Gallery

Facebook: @unit1gallery

#unit1galleryworkshop #89