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In the period 29 May – 5 July, the EAF presents a potent and attractive mix of experienced and emerging local and interstate artists, who can be broadly categorized as working in the area of live performances.
At least that was what we expected to get (plus some residue). And that is why I titled the project III PERFORMANCES [in white cube]. Nevertheless, Linda Lou Murphy, senVoodoo (AñA Wojak & Fiona McGregor), and Alison Currie & 42a reminded me once again that EAF’s white cube does provide for that ‘something more’ for which the artists strive.
So what are we to get?
On the whole III PERFORMANCES [in white cube] offers three particular takes of the phenomenal world, including visual, audio and tactile elements, all of them based on a mesh rooted in the emotional thoughts and experiences of each performer.
Thematically, the performances deal with various deeply human experiences such as “loss, grief, and mourning” (senVoodoo), home&house in which as one can imagine areas of routines and the site-specific environment is explored (Alison Currie and 42a), and the sensory interplay between the body and the artifact (linda lou murphy).
The environment for all three performances, as we can expect from the eaf, is gallery specific, the artistic investigation highly interesting, the actions of the artists varying between being planned and spontaneous.
In un/gather linda lou murphy investigates the notion of sensory responses to objects and processes, subtly introducing the theme of beneficial toxicity.
senVoodoo’s Arterial uses cultural/historical archetypes of the veiled woman and blood, but goes a step further in exploring the complexities of our age by entering the intersection of the Cultural/ Psychological/ Biological in their references to the body and fear.
Alison Currie and 42a have been developing and presenting 42a over the last couple of years through various venues in Adelaide, all of this creating a good ground for exploring social dynamics and conduct in regard to the vision of the home/house.
With all three, the ambient is based on conceptual performances and gestures. Spatial and visual/ auditory sensations and memories overtake the viewer whether witnessing the profusion of perpetual dichotomies between the outside and the inside, the male and the female, the communal and the individual; the identity and interplay between the body and the artifact, the notion of beneficial toxicity, as well as on unveiling of the essence and remains of identity and social dynamics.
Only, will our gaze be quick enough to capture this?
I would think so, as veiled women with cuts that leave blood paths – in Arterial – do represent very strong images that are rooted deeply into a variety of cultures on this planet. And they do create “cultural memories” don’t they?
In Alison Currie & 42a’s case the artwork is triggered by the viewer entering the space.
Returning to my bold statement in the beginning of the text about “EAF’s white cube providing for that something more for which the artists strive”, I would like to point out that in all truth, the space does provide versatile opportunities for the artists. The 3 exhibitions have become much larger and more ambitious than we had originally expected, including comprehensive installation elements, interactivity, video imagery, sound installations, etc. Perhaps this precious white cube space (25 x 10 metres) always demands that from the artists.
Needless to say, the demands set by the space and artists’ ambitions mean that the projects have also become riskier for us, as well as for the artists. I had originally given 2 weeks for each project, so that the “performance arts” series could be completed with-in the duration of what would be one “normal” exhibition at the EAF (5 -6 weeks). Thinking about it retrospectively, I probably should have given each of the performances a regular life span, as, if nothing else, the logistics of each of the projects demand that they go on for a longer period of time.
So, something, which I will take from the preparations for the project, is that there is a sort of ambition that tends to grow exponentially in this white cube that the EAF possesses, and we shouldn’t underestimate that element.
Melentie Pandilovski, Curator
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