XHIBIT 08

About

World renowned artist Yinka Shonibare has selected 41 of the most controversial and exciting new art and design talents from University of the Arts London for a fresh, eclectic exhibition opening at the Arts Gallery on 2 May. Joining Turner Prize-nominated artist Yinka Shonibare on the selection panel were leading members of the British art and design scene, including Transition Gallery director Cathy Lomax and Moving Brands co-founder James Bull. In its eleventh year, XHIBIT is a unique annual exhibition featuring artists in perhaps their most experimental and confrontational creative phase. The selection for XHIBIT 08 brings together sound design, film, ceramics, photography, drawing, illustration, product and graphic design, painting, sculpture, animation, and costume design. Highlights includeSue Healey's piece Christening Robe embroidered with the words "fucking little shit" repeated across the infant's outfit; suspended at child's height, the ivory dress appears as a covetable object of saccharin beauty, a counterpoint to the aggressive text. Giles Ripley's three minute digital film presents five duplicates of himself who discuss, and then perform, a mimed a cappella of 'My Girl' by The Temptations. Jason Kang's small drawing in pencil is simply titled Anthony. Kang comments "This is a homeless guy called Anthony. I decided to draw a portrait of a homeless guy simply because there are already so many famous people, models and celebrities who are immortalized in a portrait and I wonder, why not draw homeless people? Are they any less worthy?" Clare Amos designed her Red Riding Hood costume for an experimental costume led performance of Into the Woods. The exquisite two-part costume depicts Red's journey from the innocent young girl entering the woods to the creature she becomes after escaping from the wolf. Ally Mobbs' Re-sampled (speaker drum) 2007 plays with the notions of interactivity and expectation. At first appearance a snare drum is struck by an invisible musician when approached. Closer inspection reveals a motion activated speaker sitting within the barrel of drum. Samples of 'fake' drum beats are played through the speaker causing the springs of the snare to vibrate, mimicking not just the sound but the movement of the drum being struck.