About
Featuring:
Laureana Toledo & John Taylor, castillo/corrales Paris, Mithu Sen &, Support Structure, Para/Site Art Space, Heather & Ivan Morison, Magnus Quaife & David Osbaldeston, Shedhalle Zurich/Katharina Schleiben, Michael Takeo Magruder,à Bedwyr Williams, Grizedale Arts, The Hut Project, Malgras & Naudet Contemporary Zurich, Stan's Café, Freee, Juneau Projects, Declan Clarke &à Paul McDevitt presentsâ¦
Abstract Cabinet Show is a public sphere of groups, collaborations, galleries in galleries and other phenomenaà joined together to execute functional constructions and to alter or refurbish existing structures as a means of surviving in a capitalist economy.à The gallery is to be not a standard but a model to be adapted and exploited by artist activity in the spirit of Russian Constructivist El Lissitzky's inspirational Abstract Cabinet rooms of 1926-28 in Dresden and Hannover, Germany.à Lissitzky developed radical new environments as artworks containing other artists' works including Naum Gabo, Francis Picabia, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Hans Arp. Kurt Schwitters and Alexander Archipenko. If previous gallery structures tended to lull you into passivity then the Abstract Cabinet demanded, through its design, that you are active. Eastside Projects and our special guests demand the same action of discovering new correlations between works, concepts and situations! This activity is a prompt for further work beyond the public space of the gallery into and onto the larger public sphere. This should be the purpose of the gallery as an Abstract Cabinet. Set within the scenery that formed a major part of Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan's work in the previous exhibition at Eastside Projects, Abstract Cabinet Show continues themes and actions initiated in the inaugural exhibition at the gallery in September 2008. Abstract Cabinet Show includes:
The Premier of a new multi screen film, sound, bass amp and newspaper publication project, CORRESPONDENCE/ CORRESPONDENCIA, made collaboratively by Mexico City based Laureana Toledo and Duran Duran Bassist John Taylor. is Fueled by Toledo and Taylor's Super-8 footage of
Birmingham and Mexico City - with Taylor filming Mexico and Toledo filming Birmingham - the work is a meditation on local and international constructed space and identity, the sound of cities and an inquisitive meeting of difference, coincidence and shared passions.
Magnus Quaife & David Osbaldeston curate a group show of artists' instructions to install artworks within the interior âwhite cube' space of the z-shaped gallery tunnel.
Part 2 of I Love Pleasure Island, a dark dystopic sci-fi puppet show referencing Punch & Judy by Heather & Ivan Morison. The puppet show continues the story telling in relation to Pleasure Island, Eastside Projects unique crystalline red wood office, working with hand made clay, bone and fabric hand puppets performed by professional puppeteers.
Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong curate This Is Hong Kong, a video-programme presenting a selection of artists from Hong Kong reflecting on the idea of politics, history, architecture, postcolonial issues and daily life in this territory.
For the Launch of The Event, the 2nd festival of artist led activity in Birmingham, there will be two new major performance works. Stan's Café will provide live commentary of the launch night as a durational performance from the top of the large tunnel structure in the gallery and JuneauProjects present a new multi-media performance in the form of a live gig with hand made instruments/sculptures, outfits and
sound reactive visuals and audience percussion.
⢠A new Artists Edition is available by Mithu Sen to coincide with the exhibition A2 silk-screen print in an edition of 20, priced at £100 unframed.
Events: Comedy Night: 7pm Thursday 8 October (Comedy Festival 2-11 October 2009)
The Event: Launch night: 8-12pm Friday 6 November (The Event 5-8 November 2009)
