Microstoria at the Talbot Rice Gallery, 28 May - 25 June

 

So, first of my voluntary information shifts down today and one more to go. I have seen a different side to galleries today, not pre exhibition like at the collective but at a mid point. Walking around telling people not to touch the exhibits and giving information to visitors. It wasn’t as interesting as I had hoped but what did I expect? To be curating the next show?

 Enough of this reminiscing over my 8 hours bored off my tits, and lets talk about the show. I have to say, work experience aside it is a very good show. It is basically the yearly MAFA's slot to curate a show at the Talbot Rice all of the participants are emerging artists producing some exciting work. Some familiar faces pop up most notably Rachel Maclean (RSA new contemporaries 2010). God damn Over the Rainbow is all I have to say about her at the present time. To give an official explanation to the exhibition I have included the official press release statement below:

" 'Microstoria' investigates histories of falsehood and half-truths; uncovering ways in which myths become embedded in cultural activities and established as accepted norms. The exhibition features works by Sean Lynch, Oliver Laric, Mathieu Abonnenc, Helene Sommer, Kristoffer Svenberg, Libia Castro, Ólafur Ólafsson and Rachel Maclean; examining stories, myths and micro-histories by questioning cultural presumptions. The show will be accompanied by an independent publication which features a further selection of artists and writers who test the boundaries between truth and fiction."

May I point out the artists that have really stood out to me in this show so far, 1. Sean Lynch and 2. Oliver Laric. Both of whom have interesting subjects and create multi-layered, interdisciplinary work. Sean lynch focuses on Cartography, a subject that I have found interesting since I discovered Edinburgh's map shop on the Royal Mile. Lynch tracks the myth of a mystical island of the west coast of Ireland called Hy-brazil which appeared intermittently on maps from 1325 - 1853. For this exhibition he has taken photographs off the west coast of Ireland which are ambiguous in so far as there really could be an island on the horizon line if you look closely. The photographs are displayed via an old school slide projector which gives them a almost fact file crime scene investigation feel. 

'Brazil, also known as Hy-Brazil or several other variants, is a phantom island which was said to lie in the Atlantic ocean west of Ireland. In Irish myths it was said to be cloaked in mist, except for one day each seven years, when it became visible but still could not be reached.' - from the very reliable wikipedia, fact or fiction? how apt.

  On the other hand Laric stands out simply for introducing me to a new word ICONOCLASM. Yes, it sounds like someone climaxing to Lady Gaga but it is the apparently destruction of icons or symbols for religious or political purposes. in this instance Laric uses sculptures that have been literally defaced during the Protestant Reformation. Laric work has more often than enough got religious imagery which I take my hat off to anyone for trying. It is a mind field believe me (no one really appreciated me blowing the shit out of a bible with a shot gun at the tender age of 17 even if it was in the name of art). To help his argument he has also taken on themes such as 'the networked media age' and 'repetition' as a means of validating his work.