Monologue Dialogue 4: Mysticism and Insecurity

About

The exhibition MD4 will be hosted in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX, whose progressive and enlightened reign has contributed to a powerful connection between Thai and British artists that will continue into future artistic dialogues between the two countries.

The Monologue Dialogue series has grown from a British Council initiated and funded residency and exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand. From then onwards a series of exhibitions have taken place in Bangkok and London with an evolving and expanding group of participating artists. The last exhibition was in 2014 at the BACC (the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre). The key focus for the artists has been to install or construct work in a space/gallery together and in some way to reflect on the transcultural nature of today’s discourse for artists.

Opening on the 3rd of May 2017 at the Koppel Project Baker Street, MD4 will continue with an expanded number of participating artists from Thailand, the UK, Bangladesh, China, and Japan. The participating artists are: Eric Bainbridge, Rana Begum, Tintin Cooper, Yvonne Feng, Miranda Housden, Neil Jeffries, Sansern Milindasuta, Atsuko Nakamura, Nipan Oranniwesna, Be Takerng Pattanopas, Tuksina Pipitkul, Nathaniel Rackowe, Andrew Stahl, Kai Syng Tan, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong, and Panya Vijinthanasarn. The exhibition is curated by Andrew Stahl, Professor of Fine Art at the UCL, Slade School of Fine Art, and co-curated by Hannah Thorne, Director and Curator of The Koppel Project.

The title of the exhibition Mysticism and Insecurity can refer to perceptions of the mystical and magical nature of human life across all cultures; insecurity however can refer to the inability of art to fully express and realise these transcendent ideas for multiple reasons, primarily though because of the world’s materiality, because of materials being resistant, dragging against intentions even for the use of language, and symbolism. This resistance is what is most ecstatic and interesting, where the material itself whether it is paint, objects, performance or virtual media contains the magic and frailty of our existence by being resistant to manipulation. The one thing that unites us all is our materiality and a sense of ‘is-ness’.

Andrew Stahl

  We would like to thank The Royal Thai Embassy, UCL Slade School of Fine Arts, and Leeds College of Art for their support.