Athena Papadopoulos presents solo exhibition The Smurfette at London’s Emalin opening April 28 to June 3.
The london-based Canadian artist will present new works for her second solo project with Emalin; the first, Honeymoon in Pickle Paradise(2014) took place in a hotel room at the Landmark Hotel.
Her practice uses a range of materials from cosmetics, edible ingredients and medicinal products to name a few, creating narratives out of both autobiographical and external sources from popular culture to dissect the “patriarchal power structures underpinning both the visual experience and social relations performed by Papadopoulos’ characters.”
Focusing on the act of ‘dolling onself up’, the work will explore archetype, flattening, and dense collage.
As part of the Tate Exchange programme, the show included an open discussion panel reflecting on the theme of “access and considering the public’s role as museum and gallery visitors,” led by Rozsa Farkas and Lotte Andersen, and ran at the South Bank institution from 12pm to 6pm. London-based artist Papadopoulos, meanwhile, created a performative installation in the space throughout the day, in response to Stockholm-based performer Leandoer’s music. The two communicated ideas of transparency via phone and email in the lead up, culminating in an event where the public was admitted, while Papadopoulos’ drapes and sculptures slowly set the womblike, tattered fabric stage for Leandoer’s performance to close.
After some confusion from Tate staff on the venue’s capacity before opening the floor to audience members wishing to attend the evening performance, Leandoer appeared in face paint to perform his small catalogue of sparsely composed songs of longing, like the deeply moving ‘Never Again‘ and ‘Hotel in Minsk.’ Better known for his Yung Lean rap moniker, the musician self-released a number of these singer-songwriter sketches on cassette, called Psychopath Ballads, last year, drawing closer to the Sad Boys insinuations of his original crew.
Leandoer was supported by a band that included Endless party founder Felix Lee (aka Lexxi) on vocals, Phil Granell of Floating Points Ensemble on violin and Ricky Mehra of Swedish band JJ on guitar, and ended the set — replete with poignant vulnerability — on an airhorn.**
The Natural Instincts group exhibition is on at Lausanne, Switzerland’s Espace Arlaud,opening December 4 and running to 18.
Featuring a number of artists including Andrea Crespo, Tarik Hayward, Rodrigo Hernández, Jan Kiefer and Megan Rooneythe exhibition focusses on artists growing up with the internet and its affects, adverse or otherwise, on our so-called ‘natural instincts’. As society and political systems seemingly collapse under the weight of a human-technology tension, the show’s theme actively and provocatively affirms “hyper-subjective artisanal practices” that apply to making the body “felt again, to bring the figure close to the object, and to bring the artist closer to his work”
The event, which is hosted by fellow artist Athena Papadopoulos as a part of her one-year studio award at Chisenhale, brings together the two recent graduates – Bridley from RCA in 2013 and Ryan from Goldmisths in 2012.
The discussion comes as the second in Papadopoulos’s series, and each event takes whatever form the contributing artists believe will create further dialogue and provide a platform for experimentation. The talk will be followed by a reception on the patio, weather permitting.