Jade Niklai and Tom Sloan
6 December 2013–18 January 2014
221A
100-221 E Georgia
Vancouver, Canada
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm,
Saturday noon–5pm
Free and open to the public
T +1 604 568 0812
hello [at] 221a.ca
Curated by Brian McBay
221A is pleased to announce the commencement of a four-week residency with the Budapest- and Vienna-based organization Blood Mountain Foundation, culminating into an exhibition and renovation project.
Exhibition
The exhibition features two major research projects undertaken by Blood Mountain Foundation: Stories from Central Europe (2011–) and Renovating The New World (2013–), a new installation by Tom Sloan, an ongoing collaboration with the artist-collective Lonelyfingers, and a selection of works from Blood Mountain’s artists-in-residence: Diango Hernández (2010), Asim Memishi (2011), The Otolith Group (2012) and Fritz Haeg (2012).
Renovation
The exhibition is accompanied by a 115-square-foot bathroom redevelopment, designed and built by Sloan during the residency that reveals the role of renovation as a deeply significant form of cultural remembrance, healing and transformation. In the context of Vancouver’s rapid redevelopment as a vertical, high-density urban environment where existing older buildings and multi-cultural histories are often eradicated under the banner of urban regeneration, the installation will become a pseudo-historical shrine, interpreting existing space and collective memory.
Talks and screenings
Tuesday, December 3 at 7pm
Blood Mountain in discussion with special guests on ir/relevance of renovation in Canada
Wednesday, December 4 at 7pm
Screening of The Radiant, The Otolith Group (2012, HD, colour, 64 minutes) and at 8pm, a reading and introduction to Central European literature, led by Blood Mountain Co-founder Jade Niklai
Thursday, December 5, 7pm
“Stories from Central Europe,” a talk by Tom Sloan followed by the opening reception
Blood Mountain
Blood Mountain is an independent non-profit organization working at the intersection of contemporary art, architecture and design. Based in Budapest and Vienna, the organization aims to generate fresh discourse and to encourage the production of new work inspired by the region’s broader socio-political and historical context. Key activities include residencies, exhibitions, public events, education, workshops, publications and new research and production-based projects. Central to the foundation’s objective is the belief that culture is an agent for change and its open discourse and unrestricted practice are fundamental to the life of a participatory democracy. Blood Mountain was established in 2010 by Hungarian-born art historian/curator Jade Niklai and Australian industrial designer Tom Sloan.
221A
221A is a non-profit artist-run centre with focus on design in contemporary art. The organization presents exhibitions, talks, publications and special projects by contemporary artists to encourage public dialogue on design and its social effect, which may encompass graphics, objects, architecture, or, more broadly, social codes and conventions.
Inquiries
Bopha Chhay, Projects Coordinator at bchhay [at] 221a.ca.
221A is grateful for the assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, and the City of Vancouver. Special thanks to Miriam Sleeman and Barnaby Lyons.