History, Technology and Legacy

-

Every second, 127 new devices are connected to the internet. The processing capacity of computers doubles every 18 months. Our dependence on technology is increasing daily. Artist duo Feipel & Bechameil are deeply influenced by these statistics, considering the consequences of a robotised world on humans. Their multidisciplinary works ask questions such as: how has technical progress influenced our lifestyles and social aspirations? What kind of future is taking shape?

In the latest show at Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery’s new space in Dubai, viewers will find a bright white cassette player attached to the wall. It brings to mind Rachel Whiteread’s Turner Prize-winning sculptures of houses, stairways and hot water bottles. Whilst in-situ, a circular blue portion of the object spins – reminiscent of the segmented geometric paintings of De Stijl. It adds a sense of movement and colour to an otherwise obsolete 1990s object; it’s striking how vintage the object feels in today’s on-demand world.

This is just one instance in which Feipel & Bechameil re-appropriate elements of art history. They’ve long been interested in utopian movements: hints of Dada, De Stijl, Cubism, Constructivism and Bauhaus can be found throughout their oeuvre. “Before the invention of the atom bomb, these movements believed in the compatibility of technical progress and humankind,” notes Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery.

Also on view is the Rebels series, from which the exhibition takes it name. These works depict abstracted and geometric and human figures. One such work is shown at the top of the page, with side profiles cascading downwards against a bright white backdrop. Shapes of unusual plants and animals also pop up in the duo’s reliefs – “hybridised with synthetic forms, composite alloys and robotic systems.” In this way, Feipel & Bechameil ask questions about how artificial and living forms can exist positively side-by-side.

Marking the opening of Zidoun-Bossuyt’s Dubai space is a double exhibition by Nigerian artist Awodiya Toluwani – who is also deeply engaged with history and legacy. Amongst the works in Echoes of Servitude are portraits which take a critical view of sociocultural issues faced by Black women during the Victorian era, incorporating thousands of motifs in textured relief. These symbols include Adire (from the Yoruba people, Nigeria), Adinkra (from Ghana), the Nsibidi (from the Ejagham people, Nigeria). “History is a very essential part of human existence,” Toluwani says. “It gives us a better understanding of lives lived in the past, better ways to live in the present and what legacy to leave for the future generations.”

Both exhibitions run until 25 June. Find out more here.

Installation views of Rebels and Echoes of Servitude courtesy Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery.

The post History, Technology and Legacy appeared first on Aesthetica Magazine.



from Art Life Culture https://ift.tt/4pZ316J
via IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How a Fake Cartoon Band Made “Sugar Sugar” the Biggest Selling Hit Single of 1969

-
Image
Rock critic Lester Bangs described bubblegum pop as “the basic sound of rock ‘n’ roll – minus the rage, fear, violence and anomie.” The short-lived genre had its roots in the Please Please Me era of the Beatles’ minus the sex and the sarcasm. But from the Beatles we can trace a pretty solid path to the Archies. Not that we deserved this band as an inevitability, but the cartoon concoction is one of a thousand variants from that infectious strain of post-war pop. The Archie’s lasting legacy is one single: the bonafide earworm, “Sugar Sugar.” Written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim, it was a real number one single (it knocked the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman” off the throne in 1969) sung by a completely fake band, namely the cast of Archie Comics, the five or six perpetual teenagers that have been around since 1941. How we got there, we must go back to the Beatles. Once the Fab Four had started to quickly outgrow their innocent image, King Features turned the four into a Saturday M
Read more

How to Charge What You Are Worth as a Creative Professional.

-
Image
If you are having difficulty knowing what to charge, then check out your competition and find out what theyíre doing. Find out if they post prices or fees on their website or if they have "packages"  deals.  Do they have payment options? While you are researching, keep in mind just because your competition is charging one way it is not necessarily how you should be charging. One of my clients is a business and life coach.  Most coaches charge for a set number of scheduled phone meetings, which seems to be a standard for "the coaching industry," but that doesnít mean itís the best way. I encourage my clients to charge fees that match who their clients are and what they are trying to accomplish. Itís very refreshing to do what works for you and not necessarily follow the "industry standard."  If you donít feel comfortable with the way your industry charges, by all means, change it.  Just because the industryís doing it doesnít mean that itís right.
Read more