Ceal Floyer. On Occasion. Media Release Aarau, January January 10 April 2016 Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau

Transcription

1 Media Release Aarau, January 2016 Ceal Floyer On Occasion 30 January 10 April 2016 Aargauer Kunsthaus, Aarau The internationally renowned British artist Ceal Floyer (b. 1968) captivates with her ingenious and subtly ironic Conceptual Art. With verbal dexterity and a sense of the absurd she turns meanings on their head and opens up new possibilities of seeing and thinking in things that are seemingly trivial. This exhibition shows current and earlier works which refer to both the spatial and cultural context of the Aargauer Kunsthaus. Ceal Floyer s art is conceptual and sensual, and appears unassuming and reduced. But its simplicity is deceptive. The artist, who has lived for a long time in Berlin, creates works that have a simple and at the same time a complex effect. Her works are the result of a careful and precise artistic practice in which the artist breaks through our familiar patterns of perception. Often, with the most minimal interventions and the use of simple and sometimes old techniques, Floyer succeeds in bringing new life to the apparently unambiguous content of objects and phenomena from our everyday life, and open up unexpected spaces for interpretation. Light Switch 1992/2015), for example does not as one might at first assume show a real, commercially available Swiss light switch. Instead, the work reveals itself on closer inspection to be the slide projection of such an object. The work consists of light while at the same time referring indirectly to a light source, allowing Floyer, with a wink, to introduce a big philosophical question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? This kind of subliminal humour, which can prompt an extensive range of associations, is typical of Ceal Floyer s work.

2 The precise use of language revealed in the title of the work plays an important part in Floyer s installation-based sound, light, video and paper works. The meanings of nouns and verbs often intersect, as in the video work Drop (2013), in which the imminent dropping of a drop is the central event of the film. Such a deliberate use of the linguistic system of signs and meaning is characteristic of the artist, for whom a word must mean everything it can possibly mean. In Floyer s oeuvre titles are never just a dry description of the work, but openly represent an artistic strategy and a key moment. This is true, for example, of Scale (2007), a large and central work in the exhibition. Here the title of the work becomes an identifiable object and an invitation to interpret the sound that it emanates. From speakers we can vaguely hear knocking sounds going up and down. It creates the impression of being the actual recording of someone going upstairs. The speakers sound as they look like the steps of a flight of stairs. Repeatedly Floyer achieves illusionistic effects, following a great art historical tradition. But contrary to that tradition she reveals the foundations of the deception a moment later, so that the illusion usually lasts only a short time. If we at first perceive Domino Effect (2015) as a Minimalist sculpture, from close to we can see the closely aligned dominos of which the work consists. The magic that goes beyond the initial surprise and prompts reflection lies precisely in this interplay of expectation and disappointment. On Occasion was produced in collaboration with the Kunstmuseum Bonn, but was reconceived for the Aargauer Kunsthaus. In her work Ceal Floyer sticks to an uncompromising site-specificity which manifests itself in the fact that the works do not only react to the spatial conditions of the Aargauer Kunsthaus, but also bear in mind the cultural context. Older works can be experienced in new ways according to the place of exhibition. Ceal Floyer was born in Pakistan in From 1991 until 1994 she studied at Goldsmiths, University of London. She lives and works in Berlin. Her biography includes many solo exhibitions, most recently in the Kunstmuseum Bonn (2015), Museion, Bozen/Bolzano (2014), Kölnischer Kunstverein (2013) and Kunst-Werke, Berlin (2009). In 2007 she won the Preis der Nationalgalerie für junge Kunst in Berlin as well as the Nam June Paik Art Center Prize (2009), and was represented at the Venice Biennale (2009) in Singapore (2011) and documenta 13 (2012). Solo exhibitions (selection): Ceal Floyer, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Bonn (2015); Ceal Floyer, Galerie Esther Schipper, Berlin (2015); Ceal Floyer, Museion, Bozen (2014); Ceal Floyer, Lisson Gallery, Milan (2014); Ceal Floyer, Kabinett für Aktuelle Kunst,

3 Bremerhaven (2013); Kölnischer Kunstverein (2013); Things Project Arts Centre, Dublin (2011); Works on Paper, CCA, Tel Aviv (2011); Ceal Floyer, DHC/ART, Montreal (2011); Ceal Floyer, Esther Schipper Galerie, Berlin (2011); Ceal Floyer, 303 Gallery, New York (2011); Auto Focus, Museum of Modern Art (MOCA), Miami (2010; Lisson Gallery, London (2010); Ceal Floyer, Show, Kunst-Werke Berlin, Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin (2009); Gakona, Palais De Tokyo, Paris (2009); Ceal Floyer, 303 Gallery, New York. Group exhibitions (selection): The Part In the Story Where a Part Becomes a Part of Something Else, Witte de With, Rotterdam (2014); Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London (2014); Unendlicher Spass / Infinite Jest, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (2014); The Event Sculpture, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds (November 10, March 8, 2015); Wall Works, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin (2014); Fail Better. Moving Images Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg (2013); The Light Show, Hayward Gallery, London (2013); documenta 13, Kassel (2012); Explosion! Painting as Action, Moderna Museet, Stockholm (2012); Invisible: Art about the Unseen, , Hayward Gallery, London (2012); Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou (2012), Singapore Biennale (2011), 53. Biennale Venedig (2009). Awards and prizes (selection): Nam June Paik Art Center Prize, Nordrhein-Westfalen (2009); Preis der Nationalgalerie für junge Kunst, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin (2007), Atelierstipendium von "Kunst & Nutzen", Bremerhaven. November 2005 December 2006; The Paul Hamlyn Award (2002), Philip Morris Stipendium, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (1997). Curator Madeleine Schuppli, Director Aargauer Kunsthaus Assistant Curator Nicole Rampa, Assistant Curator, Aargauer Kunsthaus Catalogue Ceal Floyer. A Handbook (German / English). With texts by Tacita Dean, Mark Godfrey, Sergio Edelsztein. Ed. by Susanne Küper. Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern, ISBN CHF 42., CHF 37. for sponsors and members of the Aargau Art Association Artist s Edition A limited artist s edition is issued in conjunction with the exhibition: Sculpture for Beginners, 2016, inkjet print on archival paper, cm; edition of artist proofs, CHF 600., CHF 450. for sponsors and members of the Aargau Art Association. See shop.aargauerkunsthaus.ch Preview for the Media Thursday, 28 January 2016, am Introduction and tour of the exhibition with Madeleine Schuppli, Director Aargauer Kunsthaus. Followed by a reception in the foyer.

4 Vernissage Friday, 29 January 2016, 6 pm 6.15 pm Welcome address and introduction by Madeleine Schuppli, Director Aargauer Kunsthaus. Followed by a reception 5 6 pm Preview for members of the Aargau Art Association 6 8 pm Children s Opening. Meet at 6 pm in the studio, lower floor (children of 5 13 years) Tour of the Exhibition (in English) Thursday, 18 February 2016, 6.30 pm With Sergio Edelsztein, Director, The Center for Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, and Madeleine Schuppli, Director, Aargauer Kunsthaus. Followed by a reception Admission + CHF 8. Guided Tours Thursday 6.30 pm 4 Feb. with Silja Burch Sunday 11 am 7 Feb. with Brigitte Haas, 6 Mar. with Brigitte Haas, 3 Apr. with Silja Burch, 10 Apr. with Silja Burch Combined Guided Tours Camille Graeser / Ceal Floyer Thursday 6.30 pm 11 Feb. with Brigitte Haas, 7 Apr. with Brigitte Haas Sunday 11 am 21 Feb. with Astrid Näff, 27 Mar. with Astrid Näff Art Education Introduction for Instructors Wednesday 3 Feb pm Family Sunday Sunday 10 Apr. 11 am / 1 pm and 3 pm Interactive guided tour of the exhibition Ceal Floyer and workshop. For families with children ages 5 and up Opening Hours Tue Sun: 10 am 5 pm; Thu: 10 am 8 pm Holiday Opening Hours Open 10 am 5 pm: Maundy Thursday 24 Mar., Good Friday 25 Mar., Holy Saturday 26 Mar., Easter 27 Mar., Easter Monday 28 Mar. Images for the media Images are available for downloading on our website > Media. Please consider the copyright.

5 For additional information please contact Madeleine Schuppli, Director Aargauer Kunsthaus, tel. +41 (0) , Nicole Rampa, Assistant Curator, Aargauer Kunsthaus, tel. +41 (0) , Filomena Colecchia, Communications / Media Relations, tel. +41 (0) , filomena.colecchia@ag.ch Become a fan of the Aargauer Kunsthaus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.