Johann Arens is presenting a solo show, Internet Centre & Habesha Grocery, at Paradise Row‘s Basement, December 12.
If you’ve ever been witness to (or a part of) corporate crawl that sees local business move on, you’ll know that one of the first things to go with the stream of gentrification is the internet cafe. In tribute to one closed in June, Arens presents an installation of the remains of the Internet Centre & Habesha Grocery interior, among standard exhibition furniture and including instructional printouts in display cases, dysfunctional computer terminals and deteriorating furniture:
“As visitors browse the desktops and trash bins of the antiquated personal computers, they will build up an insight into the lives of Internet Centre & Habesha Grocery’s customers through curriculum vitae print outs, long distance coach-tickets, pictures of property for rent, lovenotes, snapshots, a business ad for a pedicure salon.”
See the Paradise Row website for details. **
