DIY RAPTURE

About

DIY RAPTURE revolves around the mechanisms and sentiments of ‘The Cultist'. For the past 100 years cults have risen throughout Middle America with a vengeance, often interpreted from the outside as a way of cleansing or ousting the unwanted in society. Various groups feeling disconnected with the mainstream have turned their back on the deception of their leaders and opted for more spiritual needs. Collectives are interpreted as belonging to a more democratic strategy within artistic activity, however Team Lump turn this on its head and present collectivity with more sinister undertones, where individual decision-making power is given over to the leadership of ‘one'. The installation highlights America's disillusion with its continuous social and political unrest, often choosing the charismatic and radical as an alternative to mainstream American culture. North Carolina is a region of the USA that international art media often overlook. With an attempt to recognise an alternative view of American culture Cell Project Space invite Team Lump, an artist collective based in Raleigh that has been actively collaborating with other artists, galleries, institutions and museums for over a decade. By acknowledging practices from artist run communities based in the lesser-known regions of the USA the exhibition will attempt to highlight the unique identity, which Team Lump and its artists have adopted. Founder, Bill Thelen, invites artists into the collective, and consequently the team fluctuates from project to project. In an informal but public exhibition space they share a typically connected DIY aesthetic and within their self publishing activities document a flourishing peripatetic art scene, which is reminiscent of many artist run collectives throughout urban America. Drawing from fields as diverse as folk art, nuclear physics, science fiction, animal rights, outsider psychology, electronic music, and film noir they platform art, music, performance, discussion and event. Developing ideas organically, Team Lump adapt to each new exhibition space, installing a mix of paintings, drawings, sculpture, wall drawings, and film to create a seemingly chaotic vision, which tap into distinct commentaries. Artists include: Leah Bailis, Jerstin Crosby Josh Rickards, Bill Thelen ,Tory Wright, Team Lump have had solo exhibitions at ‘Atlanta Center for Contemporary Art', Atlanta, GA(2004), ‘Plus Ultra', NYC(2003) and ‘Space 1026', Philadelphia, PA(2008/2002). They have also been included in group exhibitions at ‘Space' Pittsburgh, PA(2007), ‘Bemis Center for Contemporary Art', Omaha, NB(2006), ‘Southeaster Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem', NC(2005), and ‘Artscape', Baltimore, MD (2005)