A Voyage of Absurdity

About

There is this idea(l) of the artist creating art for art’s sake, living la vie bohème, being envied for their freedom and having the liberty to express their individuality. But is this the case?

Being a practicing artist does not necessarily mean one’s life is effortless and without any obstacles. Taking the (often subconscious) decision to become an artist comes with costs. Countless external factors hinder many artists from reaching their full potential by limiting their existence. Living in a world where the humanities and, in particular, the arts, are not favoured by the wider socio-economic system as a fruitful financial ecosystem, indicates that the majority of people working in the creative industries will have to find alternative means of supporting themselves financially.

Through an open call, we invited artists who have experienced these types of dualities. Through this show, the participating artists, are exploring how various stimuli from this contradiction have fed into their work, through a variety of mediums. from painting, photography, and digital art, to moving image, textiles, and sound art. It will be a multi-sensory event, consisting of a group of twenty-five creatives who have investigated how their work has been affected by the additional efforts that they have had to make in order to make ends meet, as well as how they imagine their futures will unfold. Driven by an emotional and ethical impetus, the purpose of this project is to reflect on the truths of the people in the creative industries, showcasing the complex character of their realities through their art and to pave the way of repurposing the art world with more care and collectivity.

Dates: 18th to 23rd May 2021

Private View: 21st May 2021

Location: Craft Central, E14 3AE

Artists:

Emily Mary Barnett 

Sabrina Brouwers 

Rebecca Byrne

Elodie Carrel

Silas Grocott Cain 

Charlie Hawksfield 

Megan Jentsch 

Stuart Jones 

Anna Kolosova

Eman Khokhar 

Pasqual "Lino" Livrieri 

Sujata Majumdar 

Seray Ozdemir 

Zula Rabikowska 

Cameron Randall 

Belen Lopez Santamarina 

Sound Hybrid Arts (S.H.A)

Mia Sinclair 

Sophie Stewart 

Eirini Tampasouli 

Melissa Vipritskaya Topal

Roberta Volpe

Jeremy Wolf

Curators: Vanessa Giorgo, Anna Kolosova, Melissa Vipritskaya Topal

For any enquiries, please contact van.giorgo@gmail.com

Covid-19 restrictions will be respected and hand sanitiser will be available at various stations on-site.

Suggested donation of £5 upon reservation, 30% of which will go to the mental health charity Mind.

The space is wheelchair accessible.