Openings & Exhibitions: July 2015

Thursday || 2^nd till 30^th Aug. 2015

Ancient Lights by Nicolas Mangan, Chisenhale

This first UK solo show by Melbourne-based artist Nicholas Mangan further develops his research in the relationship between energy and social change. Mangan starts from the conceptual and physical power of the sun to present two new videos set within a special installation powered by solar panels on top of Chisenhale’s roof. The videos refer to the Aztec Sun Stone (or calendar stone) rediscovered in Mexico City, the concentric mirrors of the Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Southern Spain and pioneering advances in dendrochronology and want to be a reflection on the wider theme of the reciprocal influence between nature and culture.

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Saturday || 4^th till the 13^th  Sept. 2015

Hannah Collins, Camden Arts Centre

British artist Hannah Collins takes over the Camden Art Centre galleries for the summer and fills them with her renowned large scale photographs, creating installations that embrace visitors and transport them in a captivating voyages, with the aid of sound and moving image.

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Wednesday || 8^th

Soundscapes, Nation Gallery, Opens

Set to be a blockbuster exhibition Soundscapes draws together immersive installations and other new works by contemporary leading musicians and sound artists who have been commissioned to create them in response to a selected group of works from the gallery’s collection. The artists’ roster include Turner Prize winner Susan Philipsz, Dj celebrity Jamie XX and Oscar-winning composer Gabriel Yared. Let your senses be delighted.

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Wednesday || 15^th

How We Behave – presentation, The Showroom, 6.30-8.30 p.m.

Iniva’s Head of Publications, writer, curator and RCA lecturer Grant Watson presents his series of ongoing ‘filmed portraits’, on at The Showroom though July 18.

The series is based on the1983 namesake Michel Focault interview published in Vanity Fair and focusing on the question ‘why can’t life be ‘the material for a work of art?’. In response to this existential discussion Watson presents a selection of interviews conducted in New York, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Amsterdam. For each, three interviewers and one stenographer questioned an interviewee about the facts and thoughts that had shaped his – or her – existence and personality, in order to discover their perception of subjectivity.

The second phase will begin in September 2015 with people living in London and Mumbai.

The London Open 2015, Whitechapel Gallery, opens

The triennal exhibition gathering innovative, mid-career artist is back at the Whitechapel Gallery. This year’s edition explores the theme of ‘labour and how we work’ across a variety of media, including site specific installations. Of over 2.000 applicants, 48 have been shortlisted to take part in this much waited survey of London’s ever changing contemporary art scene.

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Thursday || 16^th

Goldsmiths MFA Fine Art Degree Show, Goldsmiths University, PV 6-9 p.m.

Continuing this month’s graduations shows: after Chelsea, Camberwell and CASS, Goldsmiths presents in July the works of 44 MFA graduating students who work across a variety of media. Donate on Kickstarter to help with the exhibition costs.

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Wednesday || 22^nd

6PM Your Local Time, everywhere, 6p.m. local time

6PM Your Local Time (6PM YLT) is a distributed, one night contemporary art event taking place simultaneously in different locations, coordinated from one central venue. The second instalment, 6PM Your Local Time Europe, will be launched on the 22^nd of July by the Link Art Center. Visit their website for more info.

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Thursday || 30^th

The London Open: Live, the Whitechapel Gallery 6:30pm to 10pm, book your tickets here

A dynamic evening of performance and debate with artists from The London Open 2015.

The event begins with a discussion on the pros and cons of residencies, with exhibiting artist Sam Curtis, curator Rachel Marsden, and Eisler Curator & Head of Curatorial Studies, Daniel F Herrmann. To follow are performances, including a restaging of Corpus Sonus (2012) by Sam Belinfante, with Musarc; a hypnotic event newly conceived by Salvatore Arancio; a performance by Gaia Fugazza; and works activated throughout the exhibition spaces.

For Belinfante’s performance, Musarc sing William Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus (1605) into dictaphones. Moving to different positions in the space the performers play their recordings, filling the gallery  with the haunting arrangement and creating the piece anew.

Panel discussion organised by by the Window Space’s LIMITACTION curating team.

Caterina Berardi