http://twitter.com/thecommonguild
MEDIA RELEASE
Tacita Dean
20th November 2010 — 5th February 2011 (Preview 20th November 3-5pm)
21 Woodlands Terrace, Glasgow, G3 6DF
The Common Guild is delighted to announce a new solo exhibition by Tacita Dean, her first in Scotland for over a decade.
This rare exhibition presents a selection of recent works that can be seen as still lives, using imagery of various natural forms, including trees and neolithic stones or ‘dolmens’, and focussing on the gradual processes of growth, transformation and demise. The exhibition includes the film ‘Prisoner Pair’ (2008),'Painted Kotzsch Trees'(2008) and one of her 'Floating Dolmens'(2009).
Though primarily known for her 16mm film installations, Dean’s work ranges considerably in both subject and medium, with drawing a significant and enduring component. Central to all of the works in the exhibition, and her practice in general, is an acute awareness of time and the weight of history that accompanies it. She invites us to linger in the scenes with which she presents us, often drawing us to the archaic or the near obsolete. Using the still life as a means of observing temporality Dean’s work often acts as a memento mori, reminding us of our own mortality, and the endurance of nature.
Dean often removes objects from their conventional context by literally blacking, or whitening, out extraneous information, or encouraging extended examination through close-up footage and the illusion of real-time documentation. Using editing to control the viewer’s perception of the subject, Dean occupies an area between sensual experience and forensic dissection, demonstrating her ongoing interest in the relationship between reality and fiction, and the subjective nature of history.
This exhibition of displaced objects explores space and time in a visual language that is almost sculptural. As curator Massimiliano Gioni has written; “I’ve always thought of Tacita Dean as being the Richard Serra of vision: her images are as dense and heavy as gigantic sculptures.”
The exhibition at Woodlands Terrace will be accompanied by special off-site screenings of Dean’s recent, and highly acclaimed, remarkable film Craneway Event at Scottish Ballet on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th December. The film was made with legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham shortly before his death last year. This will be the first UK showing of this landmark work outside London. There will also be a series of exhibition talks at Woodlands Terrace. Full details will be available on the website in October: www.thecommonguild.org.uk <http://www.thecommonguild.org.uk> .
Exhibition open
Wednesday - Friday 12 noon – 7 pm, Saturday 12 noon – 5 pm and by appointment
Closed from Sunday 19 December 2010 – Tuesday 4 January 2011 inclusive.
For more information and images, please contact Kitty Anderson:
T: +44 (0)141 428 3022
E: kitty@thecommonguild.org.uk
NOTES
1. Tacita Dean was born in Canterury in 1965, she lives and works in Berlin. Dean has exhibited widely over the last 20 years including notable solo exhibitions at Fondazione Trussardi, Milan and ACCA, Melbourne (both 2009) Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin (2007), Schaulager, Basel (2006), Musée d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2003) and Tate Britain (2001). Dean has also exhibited in many prominent group exhibitions including ‘The Enlightenments’ at the Edinburgh International Art Festival (2009), the Folkestone Triennial (2008), 27th Sao Paolo Biennial, Brazil, the 15th Biennial of Sydney, Australia and the 4th Berlin Biennial (all 2006). Dean won the Hugo Boss award in 2007 and was short-listed for the Turner Prize in 1998.
2. The Common Guild is a visual arts organisation based in Glasgow. It was established in 2006 and presents a dynamic, international programme of contemporary visual art projects, exhibitions, and events. These include gallery-based exhibitions at our current premises as well non-gallery, one-off projects, talks and collaborations. We are committed to presenting artists’ work in interesting and engaging ways and aim to offer access to world-class contemporary art experiences and discussions. The Common Guild is a not-for-profit visual arts organisation, receiving Flexible Funding from Creative Scotland
3. The Common Guild’s temporary home at 21 Woodlands Terrace is a grand, Victorian townhouse to the west of the city centre next to Kelvingrove Park. Exhibitions take place over two floors, including a unique library, designed by artist Andrew Miller, which includes a selection of Tacita Dean’s books and catalogues
----------------------------------------------------------
Kitty Anderson - Communications Manager
THE COMMON GUILD
Visual arts: Projects / Events / Exhibitions
---------------------------------------------------------
Current exhibition:
ROBERT BARRY
'Words and Music'
4th September - 6th November 2010
----------------------------------------------------------
21 Woodlands Terrace, Glasgow G3 6DF
Tel. +44 (0)141 428 3022
Mobile +44 (0)7866616522
Email kitty@thecommonguild.org.uk
www.thecommonguild.org.uk <http://www.thecommonguild.org.uk/>
----------------------------------------------------------
Supported by the Scottish Arts Council
and Glasgow City Council.
Scottish Charity Reg. No. SCO21428
Become a fan of The Common Guild on facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Common-Guild/192357915313 <http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Common-Guild/192357915313>
Follow The Common Guild on twitter:
Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201
