|
| Grace Ndiritu prepares for her performance in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre |
- Exhibition will be Ndiritu’s first major solo show in the
UK since 2007 - It will be the debut of her wider practice, and feature
video, photography and painting - Grace Ndiritu – A Return to Normalcy: Birth of a New Museum will run in the Reid Gallery at the GSA from 2 October – 12 December 2015
The
Glasgow School of Art is to stage the first major UK solo show by Grace Ndiritu
at the Turner Prize fringe it was confirmed today, 21 September 2015. This will be her first major solo show
in the UK since 2007 and will be the UK debut of her
wider practice of painting and photography. A specially commissioned
film, made in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre in the west wing of “the Mack”, will be a centrepiece of the show. The
exhibition, A Return to Normalcy: Birth of a New Museum will run in the
Reid Gallery at the GSA from 2 October – 12 December 2015.
Glasgow School of Art is to stage the first major UK solo show by Grace Ndiritu
at the Turner Prize fringe it was confirmed today, 21 September 2015. This will be her first major solo show
in the UK since 2007 and will be the UK debut of her
wider practice of painting and photography. A specially commissioned
film, made in the Mackintosh Lecture Theatre in the west wing of “the Mack”, will be a centrepiece of the show. The
exhibition, A Return to Normalcy: Birth of a New Museum will run in the
Reid Gallery at the GSA from 2 October – 12 December 2015.
A British/Kenyan artist, Ndiritu
has shown in exhbitions across the globe and her work is housed in museum collections including
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In
2014 she was featured in “40 Under 40” –
the 40 most influential and promising people in the European art world under
the age of 40 as identified the leading art magazine, Apollo.
has shown in exhbitions across the globe and her work is housed in museum collections including
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In
2014 she was featured in “40 Under 40” –
the 40 most influential and promising people in the European art world under
the age of 40 as identified the leading art magazine, Apollo.
“We are delighted to be able to work with Grace,” says Jenny Brownrigg, Exhibitions Director at the GSA. “It’s especially exciting to be staging a
show that both showcases her wider practice and features a new work
commissioned specially for the exhibition.”
show that both showcases her wider practice and features a new work
commissioned specially for the exhibition.”
|
| Artist Rae-Yen Song and others of the 40 participants in Grace Ndiritu’s performance. |
The
new work, ‘Holotropic Breathing for the
Masses: An Afro-futuristic Performance’ (2015) taps into
Ancient Egyptian history and ceremonial rituals and features a performative work filmed in the Mackintosh Building with a group of 40 participants last week.
new work, ‘Holotropic Breathing for the
Masses: An Afro-futuristic Performance’ (2015) taps into
Ancient Egyptian history and ceremonial rituals and features a performative work filmed in the Mackintosh Building with a group of 40 participants last week.
“The work will be a symbolic celebration
of a new working phase both for the artist and the Mackintosh Building,” adds Brownrigg. “Grace
is going to work with 40 particpants in an event that will evoke the Ancient
Egyptian transformational ceremonies of the God Osiris and shamanic ”soul
retrieval” practices. It will at once awaken lost memories of the Mackintosh Building
before the fire and bring “The Mack” back energetically to life.”
of a new working phase both for the artist and the Mackintosh Building,” adds Brownrigg. “Grace
is going to work with 40 particpants in an event that will evoke the Ancient
Egyptian transformational ceremonies of the God Osiris and shamanic ”soul
retrieval” practices. It will at once awaken lost memories of the Mackintosh Building
before the fire and bring “The Mack” back energetically to life.”
This new film will be shown in the Reid Gallery alongside props
and costume from the performance in an installation entitled Holy Mountain (2015).
and costume from the performance in an installation entitled Holy Mountain (2015).
Other
works on show in the exhibition include the latest edition of Ndiritu’s
photographic work – A Quest for Meaning (AQFM). In this the sixth edition she plays with transforming different artistic genres into their
opposite, yet related art forms. For example, the exclusivity and rarity of
painting becomes a medium of mass produced photography within the piece.
works on show in the exhibition include the latest edition of Ndiritu’s
photographic work – A Quest for Meaning (AQFM). In this the sixth edition she plays with transforming different artistic genres into their
opposite, yet related art forms. For example, the exclusivity and rarity of
painting becomes a medium of mass produced photography within the piece.
A video work filmed
on location at Samyeling Tibetan Monastery in Scotland and Wusha Mikel Church
in Ethiopia, Raiders of the Lost Ark (2015) belongs to a new series of
videos that references 80’s movie pop culture while laying the foundation for a
discussion about conspiracy theories that focus on UFO, Parallel Realities,
Time Travel and other New Age phenomena.
on location at Samyeling Tibetan Monastery in Scotland and Wusha Mikel Church
in Ethiopia, Raiders of the Lost Ark (2015) belongs to a new series of
videos that references 80’s movie pop culture while laying the foundation for a
discussion about conspiracy theories that focus on UFO, Parallel Realities,
Time Travel and other New Age phenomena.
Workers: Post-Hippie Pop-Abstraction
(2015) is from Ndiritu’s new SWEATSHOP series of painting
installations, which look at the idea of the sweatshop from three juxtaposing
yet overlapping angles: Indigenous Tribes
who are producing culture and spirituality to feed the New Age movement in the
West; The Art Studio – artists who are
making objects to feed the art market; Third World Countries – where poorly
paid workers make products to feed the luxury, fashion, global consumer market.
(2015) is from Ndiritu’s new SWEATSHOP series of painting
installations, which look at the idea of the sweatshop from three juxtaposing
yet overlapping angles: Indigenous Tribes
who are producing culture and spirituality to feed the New Age movement in the
West; The Art Studio – artists who are
making objects to feed the art market; Third World Countries – where poorly
paid workers make products to feed the luxury, fashion, global consumer market.
Journey’s
North: Pole to Pole (2009),
is a series filmed in Alaska which
examines how the indigenous tribes of the Arctic and their culture was forever
changed by the explorers and pioneers of the 18th and 19th century and the
early ethnographic filmmaking that followed in their wake. The work is shown as
a double screen projection.
North: Pole to Pole (2009),
is a series filmed in Alaska which
examines how the indigenous tribes of the Arctic and their culture was forever
changed by the explorers and pioneers of the 18th and 19th century and the
early ethnographic filmmaking that followed in their wake. The work is shown as
a double screen projection.
Ends
Further information:
Lesley Booth
0779 941 4474
Listing
2
October – 12 December 2015
October – 12 December 2015
Grace Ndiritu – A Return to Normalcy:
Birth of a New Museum
Birth of a New Museum
Reid
Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art, 164 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RF
Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art, 164 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RF
Open
Monday-Sunday 10am – 4.30pm
Monday-Sunday 10am – 4.30pm
The
first major UK solo show by Grace Ndiritu since 2007 which also marks the debut
of her wider practice of painting and photography. Exhibition includes a
specially-commissioned film made in the Mackintosh Building.
first major UK solo show by Grace Ndiritu since 2007 which also marks the debut
of her wider practice of painting and photography. Exhibition includes a
specially-commissioned film made in the Mackintosh Building.
Further
information: http://www.gsa.ac.uk/life/gsa-events/events/g/grace-ndiritu-a-return-to-normalcy-birth-of-a-new-museum/?source=future
information: http://www.gsa.ac.uk/life/gsa-events/events/g/grace-ndiritu-a-return-to-normalcy-birth-of-a-new-museum/?source=future
Entry free
Notes for
Editors
Editors
Holotropic
Breathing for the Masses (2015) An Afro-futuristic Performance
Breathing for the Masses (2015) An Afro-futuristic Performance
Costume and set design: Grace Ndiritu and Zephyr Liddell.
Production Assistants: Ashleigh Miller,
Nick Carlin, Angus Ellway, Martha Simms, Katie O’Brain and Sophie Pitt
Nick Carlin, Angus Ellway, Martha Simms, Katie O’Brain and Sophie Pitt
Grace Ndiritu (Kenya/UK) studied Textile Art at Winchester
School of Art, UK; De Ateliers, Amsterdam 1998-2000: UK studio residency,
Delfina Studio Trust, London (2004-2006), International Residency, Recollets,
Paris (2013), MACBA & L’Appartement 22, Rabat, international residency
(2014), Galveston Artists Residency, Texas (2014 -2015).
School of Art, UK; De Ateliers, Amsterdam 1998-2000: UK studio residency,
Delfina Studio Trust, London (2004-2006), International Residency, Recollets,
Paris (2013), MACBA & L’Appartement 22, Rabat, international residency
(2014), Galveston Artists Residency, Texas (2014 -2015).
Her archive of over forty ‘hand-crafted’ videos; experimental
photography, painting and shamanic performances have been widely exhibited.
Upcoming solo exhibitions at Klowden Mann in Los Angeles (2016). Ndiritu’s
recent solo exhibitions took place at La Ira De Dios, Buenos Aires (2014), L’Appartement
22 Rabat, Morroco (2014), Chisenhale Gallery, London (2007), the 51st Venice
Biennale (2005) and Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (2005). Recent solo performances
and screenings include Museum Modern of Art, Warsaw (2014), Musee Chasse &
Nature and Centre Pompidou, Paris (2013), ICA Artist Film Survey, London
(2011), Artprojx at Prince Charles Cinema London (2009).
photography, painting and shamanic performances have been widely exhibited.
Upcoming solo exhibitions at Klowden Mann in Los Angeles (2016). Ndiritu’s
recent solo exhibitions took place at La Ira De Dios, Buenos Aires (2014), L’Appartement
22 Rabat, Morroco (2014), Chisenhale Gallery, London (2007), the 51st Venice
Biennale (2005) and Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (2005). Recent solo performances
and screenings include Museum Modern of Art, Warsaw (2014), Musee Chasse &
Nature and Centre Pompidou, Paris (2013), ICA Artist Film Survey, London
(2011), Artprojx at Prince Charles Cinema London (2009).
Ndiritu has been featured in Apollo Magazine 40 Under 40 (2014);
Phaidon: The 21st Century Art Book (2014) and her work is also housed in museum
collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and Museum of
Modern Art, Warsaw and private collections such as the Walther Collection, New
York and Germany. Her experimental art writing has been published by Animal
Shelter Journal Semiotext(e) MIT Press, Metropolis M art magazine and Oxford
University Press. Grace Ndiritu is represented
by Klowden Mann Gallery,
Los Angeles.
Phaidon: The 21st Century Art Book (2014) and her work is also housed in museum
collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and Museum of
Modern Art, Warsaw and private collections such as the Walther Collection, New
York and Germany. Her experimental art writing has been published by Animal
Shelter Journal Semiotext(e) MIT Press, Metropolis M art magazine and Oxford
University Press. Grace Ndiritu is represented
by Klowden Mann Gallery,
Los Angeles.