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ARCHIVE 2004 |
Historicism
Black History Month
Participating artists: Faisal Abdu'Allah, Anissa-Jane, Rodney Bailey, Geoffrey Chambers, Henry Davis, Kimathi Donkor, Papa Essel, Rebecca Harman, Rita Keegan, George Kelly, Sheree Mack, Nic Mensah-Dika, Sireita Mullings, Eddie Otchere, Reggie Pedro, Rohan Roberts, Stephen Sealy
25 October to 5 November 2004
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A presentation of work by contemporary Black Artists in Britain.
From a compiled timeline of key dates in the history of Black Britain, contemporary artists including Faisal Abdu'Allah, Reggie Pedro and Papa Essel visually interpreted an event in the medium of their choice, creating a "visual timeline" with powerful, evocative and sometimes controversial results.
As post-colonial communities evolve into their second and third generations our "Black British" history becomes ever more significant. We should not only attempt to create social, political and historical figureheads for modern times, but also look back, seeking and finding those that have come before us. These people laid the foundations. For, to know where we are going, we must first understand where we have been. Once this has been established, embraced and understood then the road forward is clearer and less daunting, as we acknowledge that others have come before us.
Olu Oke, Curator
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Shelly Bahl
Pink is the Navy Blue of India
10 September to 15 October 2004 |
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This was the first UK solo exhibition by Indian-born visual artist Shelly Bahl, who divides her time between Toronto, Canada and New York City.
Her mixed media video installation, Pink is the Navy Blue of India (2003), is set in a boutique environment amongst rails of clothes. The video in this satirical comment on Bollywood chic shows a woman in a trendy boutique, trying on the Indian-inspired fashions in a mad spree of 'ethnic consumption'. By placing themselves within the installation, and interacting with the clothing on display, the viewer participates in 'a narrative of cultural cannibalism'. In her earlier installation work Take-Away I and Take-Away II (2000 and 2001), Bahl invited the visitor's involvement by leaving napkins printed with South Asian motifs to be taken away.
"I have been exploring the history and exotification of Indian art and culture, and much of my work plays with and questions the practices of Orientalism, kitsch appropriation and the mass-production of culturally-specific iconography." (Shelly Bahl)
By recontextualising recognisable symbols of Asian culture, drawing on both historical and contemporary imagery, she mimics the current appropriation of 'exotic' cultures, at the same time questioning the authenticity of the resulting products. Bahl is also interested in the exploration of transcultural experiences that occur where cultures meet and mix.
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Urban Vision Reloaded
Work by participants of Urban Vision
education project
25 June to 23 July 2004 |
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Urban Vision is 198 Gallery's unique youth arts education project addressing social exclusion through working with artists and young people in an alternative creative learning environment. Led by professional commercial and fine artists, the project engages young people from the broad range of backgrounds of Lambeth and the surrounding boroughs.
Click here for UV projects
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Open
Participating artists (from the Herne Hill area): Andrew 'Morgan' Baptiste, Patricio Bosich, Agathe Bouton, Patrick Cobbing, Sarah Cole, Karl Cresser, Stephen Duncan, Sue Edwards, Colin Failes, Renata Fernandez, Debi Gaunt, Nina Grieg, Lisa Hendricks, Katharina Kritzler, Yair Meshoulam, Jane Millar, Magali Moreau, Marilyn Rogers, Julieta Sans, Shakya, Lorraine Sleator, Aristide Stornelli, Anna Tomaszewska-Nelson, Marianne Wie and Ariane Severin, Alexis Worrall
21 May to 11 June 2004
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198 Gallery announced the reopening of its building to the public after an extended period of refurbishment to improve the premises funded by Arts Council England's Regional Arts Lottery Programme. Located in Herne Hill, near Brixton, the gallery has a 15-year-old colourful history.
The freshly renovated gallery spaces, with new floors, lighting and fixtures, was inaugurated with a group exhibition of work in various media by artists local to the Herne Hill area. Herne Hill has a vibrant artistic community, with many artists living and working in the area. This exhibition aimed to showcase the wealth of activity and talent that exists in the locality, and to re-establish the gallery as an inclusive local space for the arts amongst the artistic community.
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