FXXINi̶s̶m̶ TC “MARK 1” at “MERDELAMERDELAMERDELAMER” curated by Kendell Geers at MAM Gallery

We
live in a time where voices are expressed in different ways and through
a wide range of channels. The internet has become a virtual place of
emergence of the real, it is basis of global networking and carrier of
many contemporary debates, actions and protest movements. Virtual space
is offering unprecedented potential of spaces of dialogue and
discussion. Many of those concluding in the same moment as others were
established, it is a place of parallel existence of these voices. “The
right to speak is the most basic of all human” so Kendell Geers
underlining the shows essence: Hearing of the voice is its
visualization, visualization of its message.

In the antique poem “Bronte” (Greek: thunder), that as discovered as part of the gnostic Nag-Hammadi manuscripts (~350 C.E.) an
anonymous voice of exhortatory character speaks out “I am the name of
the sound and the sound of the name”. Found in 1945 in Egypt the text
piece is until the present day the only piece of writing that seems to
be by a female author originating that time. It speaks out in
contradictions, lost between female power and its deprivation: “I am the
whore and the holy one. I am the wife and the virgin. I am the mother
and the daughter…I am the utterance of my name”. Evoking in its core an
awareness of the self and the humans voice as the strongest instrument
of power.

“History
is written by the winner” so Geers on (art) history. It is not only
written by the male winner, but as well preserved by it.

Whores,
saints, wives, virgins, mothers, daughters – artists have been
deliberately ignored and left out, as many examples attest. Once again
“ERDELAMERDELAMERDELAMERDELAMER” is dressing a present status quo, where
exclusion is a common practise. Attempting to do so, the presented
artworks take use of the core of this exclusion: The play with
(historical) fear of femininity.

In
the background of a time, that demands an urgent need
“ERDELAMERDELAMERDELAMERDELAMER” postulates the replacement of Descartes
“I think therefore I am”. Our time cries out loudly for honesty,
determination and boldness as the show proclaims: I think therefore
#IPROTEST.

Fostering the show’s character to act, four performances at the inauguration evening by Belinda Blignaut, FXXINi̶s̶m̶ (Anna Ceeh & Iv Toshain), Aleksandra Karpowicz, Sophie Whettnall invite to participate, underlining the need to act. Finally, not to go down in a MER DE LA MERDE. Or as Grace Jones once sang:

“This is my voice – my weapon of choice”

(Eva Greisberger)

Works by: Marina ABRAMOVIC, Sanell AGGENBACH, Lynda BENGLIS, Pamela BERKOVIC, Belinda BLIGNAUT, Bianca BONDI, Anna CEEH, Valie EXPORT, FXXINi̶s̶m̶ Toshain / Ceeh, Kendell GEERS, Gilbert & George, Susy GÓMEZ, Fabrice HYBER, Aleksandra KARPOWICZ, Thomas LEROOY, October! Collective, Tracy PAYNE, Sandrine PELLETIER, Yapci RAMOS, Anneliese SCHRENK, Lerato SHADI, Hank Willis THOMAS, Betty TOMPKINS, Iv TOSHAIN, James WEBB, Sophie WHETTNALL

Source: FXXXX