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Exhibition | Species, Soil and Successors
16.Juli 2023 13:00 - 26.Juli 2023 19:00
Multimedia-exhibition with artworks by Studio 33/3, Devadeep Gupta and Julia Schuster.
Oyouns latest curatorial focus Listening to the Land launches with “Species, Soil and Successors” by Arijit Bhattacharyya, a curatorial project consisting of three chapters.
In its second segment “Soil and Successor”, the project holds space for artistic engagement in peripheral socioecologies. Through a remote artist residency with Studio 33/3, Swagata Bhattacharyya and Binita Limbani, the project confronts us with another reality where climate catastrophe structures everyday life. The resulting multimedia exhibition, which is on display at Oyoun between 15 and 26 July will present audiovisual works of some of the residency artists as well as of the artists Devadeep Gupta and Julia Schuster. Some of the video works will be screened at the launch event on 15 July as well.
We are surviving through an epoch of spiraling ecological devastation, multispecies extinction and military extractivism. The notion of a collective future beyond human existence is still a far imagination. Though imagination is an essential practice. Imagination succors knowledge applicable in problem-solving and is elemental to integrating experiences in learning. How do we imagine a pluriversal multispecies future? "Species, Soil and Successors" imagines framing a complex practice-oriented enquiry into intersectional climate justice by listening to people who are often sidelined. The project tries to imagine a world beyond the colonial touch.
Exhibition opening on 15 July 2023, 14:00 - 21:00 h
From 16 - 26 July daily between 13:00 h and 19:00 h
Free admission!
Language: English
Biographies
born in West Bengal, is an artist and independent curator currently based in Weimar. His practice revolves around contentious narratives of resistance through social engagements, design interventions and lecture performances.
Through his artworks he deals with questions about the individual, power and history and how these manifest in social contexts. He is deeply invested in the conversations of postcolonial resistance, anticoloniality, social marginalization and community disobedience. His practice stirs up prevalent structures that determine the way we live, drawing resistance against different kinds of injustice and oppression.
His artistic discourse is deeply rooted in the dissecting trajectories of socio-political history and its implications in cultural practices. His practice can be perceived as a stance of speaking up to power. As a curator he is invested in artistic practices that investigate methods of social agitation and political imagination. Arijit triggers us to see what we want to close our eyes to, while inspiring us to re-imagine structures that define who we are.
Studio 33/3
is a grassroots Indian artist collective comprised of Soumik Ghosh, Shibayan Halder, and Suvojit Roy. They are known for their unique approach to challenging extractivism and advocating for alternative demurral positioning through artistic and cultural inquiry. The collective's work seeks to understand extractivism as a class-based practice and offers alternative perspectives on contemporary cultural tendencies.
They explore the rural-urban divide that exists in West Bengal. The collective recognizes this division and investigates its implications for the region. They delve into the complex dynamics and socio-economic disparities between rural and urban areas, examining how these divisions perpetuate inequality and affect various aspects of society.
In their artistic practice, Suvojit, Soumik and Shibayan take into account the postcolonial understanding of the nation-state as an extension of colonial heritage. This perspective recognizes the enduring influence of colonialism on social, cultural, and economic structures within the nation. By examining the contemporary context through this lens, the collective aims to shed light on the ongoing effects of colonialism and challenge the status quo.
Moreover, Studio 33/3 is particularly interested in exploring the ecological devastation occurring in the region as a class struggle. They view environmental issues not only as matters of ecological concern but also as interconnected with social and economic factors. By examining the environmental impact through the lens of class struggle, the collective aims to highlight the unequal distribution of environmental burdens and advocate for more equitable and sustainable practices.
is a multidisciplinary visual artist hailing from Kolkata, India. His artistic exploration centres around politics and social representation, seeking to challenge the prevailing constructs of contemporary Bengali society. Influenced by literature, oral history, and films, Ghosh's work reflects a deep engagement with various forms of storytelling and cultural narratives.
His practice encompasses a range of mediums, including performances, paintings, photographs, and large-scale installations. Through these artistic forms, he interrogates societal norms and conventions, encouraging critical reflection on the existing power structures and social hierarchies. His work is both self-referential and socially conscious, delving into personal experiences while also addressing broader societal contradictions.
is a multidisciplinary artist whose upbringing has been shaped by the profound disagreement between Communist West Bengal and the wave that led to its overthrow. This conflict was not only political but also symbolic of the tension between the urban and rural spheres. Halder's artistic practice deeply resonates with this conflict, exploring the changing sociopolitical landscape and metaphors of people and their evolving relationship with nature in the small villages of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
Through his work, Shibayan reflects on the shifting dynamics of power, society, and nature within these rural communities. He delves into the intricate interplay between these elements, capturing the nuances and complexities of their relationships. His artistic exploration revolves around the sociopolitical scenario of the region, considering the impacts of political transformations and urbanization on the lives of the people and beyond in these villages. His work serves as a metaphorical lens through which he examines the evolving dynamics and tensions between the urban and rural realms and their influence on local communities of human and non-human agents.
Furthermore, his practice underscores the profound connection between people and nature within these rural environments. Shibyan explores the intricate relationship, often emphasizing the transformative nature of this bond. Through his artwork, he encourages viewers to contemplate the evolving dynamics between humans and their natural surroundings, reflecting on how these relationships shape and are shaped by larger sociopolitical forces.
is a visual art practitioner based in Kolkata, India. His artistic practice draws inspiration from his day-to-day life and the surroundings in which he lives. Growing up in a slum, Suvojit has developed a keen interest in understanding and exploring the slum as a unique living organism. His works revolve around the circumstances of life in his immediate vicinity, offering a nuanced perspective on the realities of his community.
Through his lived experiences, Suvojit delves into the politics of building and its socio-cultural implications, particularly concerning the city. His artwork reflects a deep engagement with the social, economic, and cultural aspects of slum life and access to resources. By highlighting the experiences of the economically underprivileged and ecologically marginalized, Suvojit's works give voice to the often marginalized and overlooked perspectives within society.
One notable theme in Suvojit's art is the exploration of the concept of "home" within the context of economic disadvantage. His works offer a gaze into the lives of the underprivileged and attempt to narrate their experiences through the lens of "otherness" within their own country. By doing so, Suvojit challenges societal norms and sheds light on the lived realities of those who are often stigmatized or marginalized.
Suvojit's artistic practice also reflects his engagement with the socio-political dynamics surrounding his social condition. He sees his work as a means of negotiating space and challenging the political and cultural agendas that often deem people in his social condition as "illegal" or outside the norm.
is an interdisciplinary artist from Vienna, Austria, currently based in Bollebygd, rural Sweden. She holds an MA in ceramics from the Royal College of Art in London and a BA in design from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy.
Her material-discursive practice manifests as clay and ceramic installations, which are combined with photography, sound, video and written work. She investigates clay’s unique cellular memory in relation to the memory that exists in our own human bodies. By exploring how materiality, writing and the body's inward and outward movements unite, she creates spaces that carry a grounding and deeply contemplative quality.
In recent years her practice has increasingly become site-specific and is often informed by learning new skills such as her training to become a doula, a birth companion. The intimate and hands-on care a doula provides for birthing people parallels the way she works with the material clay. At the core her artworks invite you to remember the connections between the sense of touch, caring for the body, and caring for the land.
Julia has undertaken residencies in Denmark, Nepal, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea. Selected exhibitions include the British Ceramics Biennial, Photo Kathmandu, Palinsesti, the Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art and Röda Sten Konsthall. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics.
artistic process is an exploration of regional ecological uncertainties through a critical examination of associated mainstream perspectives. Inspired by site-specific and vernacular occurrences, Devadeep delves into the intricate relationship between people and their land. His artistic practice encompasses the realms of film and sculpture, bridging the gap between conceptual and documentary approaches. Within this intersection, the artist is particularly interested in narratives that emerge from the convergence of mythology and contemporary experiences. Grounded in the rich cultural landscape of Assam, Devadeep draws inspiration from pragmatic practices, oral traditions, and folklore. Central to his artistic endeavors are performative processes that pay homage to meta-cultural practices. Devadeep is an active member of Northeast Lightbox, an artist collective dedicated to fostering exchange between regional archives and contemporary practices.
Credits
Artistic Director: Madhumita Nandi (Oyoun)
Concept: Madhumita Nandi, Samirah Siddiqui, Oyoun Team
Curatorial Team: Nina Martin (Oyoun), Ihisa Adelio (Oyoun), Dami Choi (Oyoun)
Implementation: Oyoun Team
Curatorial Collective: Madhumita Nandi, Samirah Siddiqui, Camilla Therese Karlsen, Zeren Oruc, Mojisola Adebayo and Nicole Wolf, Arijit Bhattacharyya
Design: Ezequiel Hyon
Species, Soil and Successors: Hillside Projects (Emily Berry Mennerdahl and Jonas Böttern), Devadeep Gupta, Lea Maria Wittich, Nilanjan Bhattacharya, Studio 33/3 (Soumik Ghosh, Shibayan Halder and Suvojit Roy), Jullia Schuster
Species, Soil and Successors is part of Oyoun’s curatorial focus Listening to the Land
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