We Can Have It All

• Main Author: White, Laura
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Spacex 2012
• Subjects: Barlow; Iceland
• Online Access: https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8872/; https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8872/1/We%20Can%20Have%20It%20All%204.jpg; https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8872/2/We%20Can%20Have%20It%20All%205.jpg; https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8872/3/brochure_lw_14-11.pdf; https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8872/4/This%20is%20Tomorrow%20REVIEW%20Spacex.doc; http://spacex.org.uk/

Installation of mixed media sculptures displayed on bespoke plinths, commissioned for a solo exhibition at Spacex, Exeter (Dec 2012 – Feb 2013) funded by the Henry Moore Foundation. Spacex is an international gallery with previous exhibitions by Phyllida Barlow and Geoffrey Farmer. Addressing the relationships between readymade objects and ‘art ‘objects, how these might be judged/differentiated through presentation, materiality and context, White’s sculptures are both a reductive/accumulation of stuff and souvenir, through a rubber materiality (new material sponsorship), while also aligned to art historical references: 19th century military monuments, modernist sculpture by Hepworth and Giacometti; and objects on the boundary of ’art ‘ and ‘everyday’: Bauhaus ceramics by Gerhard Marcks. The rubber sculptures open up debates around the unchallenged growth of museum/gallery shops, opening up recent phenomena to whether shopping is the key activity driving and defining societies. A period of research culminated in the construction of works in White’s studio. Developing a conceptual approach to the presentation of the works White created bespoke plinths extending the question of value of the supported sculptures and the status of the plinth. A film documented the process was shown on Spacex on-line, and a public discussion at the opening between White and curator Eliza Gluckman responded to audience questions. The piece incorporates sculptures from (1.) The Shapes Game: its hard to take your eyes off it. (2012), Carter Presents, London. (2.) Touring group exhibition, The Perfect Nude, Wimbledon College of Art, London, Phoenix Gallery Exeter and Charlie Smith Gallery London. Then further extended for We Can Share The Wonder (2013), exhibited in, Cowboy Style, Marlborough Contemporary, London alongside Werner Büttner, Agnieszka Brzezanska and Pamela Golden (Curated by Prof Andrew Renton.) A series of drawings of the individual sculptures was exhibited in London United, Kling&Bang, Reykjavik, Iceland alongside Mark ...