MURZE MAGAZINE ISSUE THREE 2018

murze

m a g a z i n e

2018

a r t s

ISSUE THREE | Featuring artwork from Lisa Allen/ Mimi Eunmi Kim/ Aysegul Turan/ Josh Herrington (cover art) Projects photography/ minimalist/ circular art

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Aysegul Turan

issue three Ay s e g u l Tu r an

I explore aspects of material that brings forth an understanding of natural faculties.

Through observing and contemplating on phenomena, I investigate the underlying principles of form. Working with the visceral aspects of materials, I explore alchemy, transformation of matter and the mystical in all things. I’m mainly interested in ‘ferromagnetism’ as a natural phenomenon and have been using it as a process for the making of sculptural pieces. Iron, rooted deep in the fabric of life is found as the mineral ‘magnetite’ in oxide form. Through certain relationships the element has transcended to a quantum state and has become supernatural. For this potential, a ‘soul’ aspect has been attributed to the magnet in ancient

times. The aim of my work is to study this capacity through an intrinsic bond between narrative, material and form in exploring the visible and beyond. I assemble the segments to create a field of transformation, exploring the intrinsic nature of the substance and the unifying principle that emerges from this realm. The immediate transition from substance to form, generated through the dynamics of this relationship becomes a reflection of natural laws and processes. Manipulations of inner tensions create a fluidity of form in a constant state of becoming, as the imprint of an enigmatic force that is not visible. The contingent nature of the works creates dynamic entities, in which the magnetic force becomes an agent for the transformation of matter and the exploration of the unknown.

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Regan Boyce, Artist from London, creates geometric sculptures, abstract line constructions, installations and print.

Minimalist project taking a look at artists whose work focuses on simplicity and clarity. (p.25)

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Sandra Jordan, Photographer from London, Sandra’s work captures images that create space to breathe, ‘like visual meditations’. She searches for simplicity within her imagery.

Photography project - we have received some

exceptional images from photographers of all genres. (p.13-14)

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Josh Herrington, Austin, Texas. Cover art ‘Holding’ Graphics designer/ artist - Josh creates surreal digital artworks, primarily portraits. He began to create these artworks to connect audiences, not the unattainable goal of perfection seen in so much of modern graphics design.

Herrington’s artwork is bursting with colour, vibrance, and imagination allowing the mind to wonder when viewing. (p.19-22)

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Siddharth Gadiyar, Hastings, East Sussex. siddharth’s work attains a sense of purpose, taste and bold colour. His work creates an intense visual experience and draws the viewer in.

Circular art - we take a look at the round canvas, and artists work that attributes the ‘circle’. (p.36)

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Eunmi Mimi Kim, London. visual and performing artist Minimalist project - artist interview ‘I define myself an experimental media practitioner in a contemporary art context’ (p.27-28)

contents 1-2 - Aysegul Turan

5 - 2040 Sarah Kitteridge

7-16 - Photography

9-10 - Lisa Allen

15-16 - David Gilliver

17-18 - Kitty Bew Review

AB O U T M U R Z E T H R E E Issue three of Murze is the first since 2017, having had a break in production of the magazine we are delighted to be back at it exploring new artists and artworks.

We have received an exceptional amount of support for the magazine, and a huge amount of submissions for our projects whilst we cannot show all the work entered to our projects in the magazine the rest of the work entered can be viewed on our website murze.org In this 2018 edition of Murze we are featuring works from all our recent open calls that have been taking place over the last few months; photography, minimalist, and circular art.

The photography project received a diverse response from photographers internationally, we examine Lisa Allen, and David Gilliver’s work closer in a series of questions put to them about their work.

Minimalist explores simplicity within art practice and demonstrates the hugely

varied approach the term ‘minimalist’ evokes. We take a closer look at experimental artist Mimi Eunmi Kim. Circular art simply looks at artwork in the round, and work captivated by the idea of exploring the circular canvas. Take a look at Carragh Amos work.

Murze is keen to explore art theory and conceptual ideas forming a bases to review and discuss art practice, kitty Bew’s art review of Sarah Sze, Victoria Miro is a great critical exploration of the artists work. We also take a look at a couple of art essays, 2040 by Sarah Kitteridge and Nell Nicholas essay Exploring the Significance of Site in Michael Rakowitz’s “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist”.

We are keen to showcase a diverse range of artists (current and emerging), designers, photographer and creators, providing a platform to discuss art practice.

19-22 - Josh Herrington

23-34 - Minimalist

Natalia González Martín

27-28 - Eunim Mimi Kim

31-32 - Anthony Hou

35 - Nell Nicholas essay

36-38 - Circular Art

37 - Carragh Amos

41 - Art things

42 - Contributes

‘My practice has been primarily concerned with matter and the need of humanity to preserve it from the decay of time. Throughout the creation of fictitious organic and archaeological-like objects and their arbitrary classification, my work questions the precariousness of the established value given to objects.

Different layers of time and space merge

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together loading the work with historical, cultural and iconographic references that might necessitate deciphering. ‘ Take a look at Natalia’s essay ‘The contemporary experience of shock through the media. Art and terrorism as instruments to satisfy our desire for the sublime.’ on our website murze.org/blog

Chronic Arrangement Of The Perishables, (left) Chicken wire, plaster, oil paint, wax, wood, installation shot, 2017

Universal Languages, (right) Oil on canvas, metal painted wood, fabric, 2018

Natalia González Martín

2040 Sarah Kitteridge Discuss the issues surrounding advanced computational tools, such as Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence, and the impact they could have on Fine Art/Artists.

Epigraph

Introduction

An conversation between myself, (Student) and Google’s Intelligent Operating system (assistant).

According to a graph produced by The Emerging Future “Every twelve to eighteen months, computers double their capabilities, and so do the information technologies that use them” [The Emerging Future, 2018]. This evidence in this graph suggests that in early 2040s “The Singularity” will occur. This is the moment where technology becomes so advanced that Human can no longer describe, ‘within reason’, what life will be like [The Emerging Future, 2018]. This gives rise to strong beliefs amongst leading scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs that there is a high possibility (notwithstanding the global obstacles that we would have to avoid to reach this point) that future humans we will live amongst intelligent machines. There is evidence within today’s technologically advanced societies of humans and intelligent machines working and living together. From Intelligent Smart Home assistances automated factory robotics, drones and even driverless cars.

This dissertation will be focusing on the role of intelligent machines within the fine arts community. It aims to shed light on artists that are already work within the field of ‘new medias’; Primarily artists engaging with virtual reality and neural networks. I shall highlight on how machine learning may affect the future for life as an artist.

Student: Assistant: Student: Ok, Google! Do I have any urgent reminders?

Your dissertation is due on Tuesday 23rd January. Submit before 12 noon. Thank you.

Ok, Google play some calming down music...

No problem! Playing... Piano Concerto No 2 In F Major, Op 102. By Dmitri Assistant: Shostakovich from your Calming Down Playlist Perfect. Thanks Google.

My pleasure! I am glad you like it.

Ok, Google! can you tell me the future?

I can tell you some news. My crystal ball seems to be malfunctioning. Is Artificial Intelligence going to take over the world?

Hmmm... I am not sure about that one.

Ok, Google! Tell me about the year 2040?

Student: Assistant: Student: Assistant: Student: Assistant: Student: Assistant: CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, predicts that by 2040 Artificial Intelligence will outsmart Humans at every task.

Student: Ok, Google! To be or not to be?

Assistant: That is the question.

Chapter one, The Reality, will be analysing and reviewing artworks that incorporate VR. Unpacking the financial, conceptual and aesthetic qualities employed by artists. Accentuating the collaboration opportunities being made available for artists to work alongside researchers and scientists. It will present the view that ‘new medias’, such as VR, could inspire an opportunity for artists to expand their practical and creative skill set. As well as considering the role artists will have in

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altering how we experience VR and why their involvement is essential for pushing the boundaries of avant garde technology.

Chapter two, Psychedelic Dogs and Eyes, will explore the process of using neural networks (Artificial Intelligence) to create a computer generated artwork. This dissertation will explore generative and adaptive neural network techniques using examples of artists working with machine learning. It will attempt to unpick the properties and potential for making neural network art.

The final chapter, What happened to all the Artists?, will speculate about the social and political implications facing future artists. Moreover attempt to provoke a sense of urgency within the fine art community to engage in conversations about a future filled with intelligent machines. The dissertation will also unpack why it is important for us all to consider an appropriate emotional response to the data trends presented and why the fine art community are not exempt from the conversation of intelligent machines, that will inevitably force all of society to readdress how we live our lives.

This dissertation recognises the uncertainty of the future. That conversations of artificial intelligence and the full integration of automated machines can be met with controversy and scepticism. This dissertation does not​​ intend to predict the future; but simply underline the implications that derive from the growing trends of that we can see with the rapid development of technology. This essay focuses specifically on artists that employ virtual reality and neural network techniques to produce artwork.

ARTIST

CALL murze

You can view the full dissertation on our website murze.org/blog

murze.org/projects

2019

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PHOTOGRAPHY

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1 Lisa Allen - 2 Neil Welch - 3 Andy House - 4 Claire Oberst - 5 CC Teakell - 6 FeiFan Zhang - 7 Kristel ter Beek - 8 Ira Jacob - 9 Vera Benschop 10 Dan Younger - 11 Lucas Gabellini Fava - 12 Margaux Panel - 13 David Gilliver - 14 Jennifer Lothrigel - 15 Sandra Jordan 7

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photography

LISA ALLEN Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work I have been taking photos since I was 11 years old and I’m currently a member of Studio Gallery in Washington, DC. I shot this series in Iceland using an instant film camera. I wanted to showcase the moody yet mystical nature of the stunning landscape and transport the viewer to a place that would evoke unusual and even unsettling emotions.

What first got you interested in photography?

I became interested in photography when I was a kid. There was an art competition at my school and I thought it would be fun to take photos and enter them. I ended up winning in my category and my mom was really supportive and bought me my first “grownup camera” for Christmas. It was a Canon Rebel G and I took it everywhere. I remember taking it to the local Renaissance Festival at one point which was really fun to capture as a kid. I loved the surprise when I got my film developed and realized that besides showing beauty you could tell stories.

How would you describe your approach to photography?

My approach these days is to take photos in spurts when inspiration strikes. I become interested in someone, something, or somewhere and I use whatever tool I feel like at the time to capture it. My last series was focused on protests in Washington DC in the wake of the 2016 elections, and I decided it would be a cool experience to learn screenprinting and use some of my photos in a more graphic way. When I have ideas like that I try to trust my gut and stay experimental.

What do you feel is the most challenging thing about being a photographer?

One of the most challenging things to me is that there are so many photographers nowadays. What I always try to remind myself of is that no one is doing the work in exactly the same way if they are basing it off of their own experiences. So all that matters is that the art is from each person’s genuine point of view.

Tell us what gear you use, what is your favorite equipment to use?

I love using all different cameras and experimenting is how I come up with new ideas. I often alternate between my DSLR and other cameras like my Holga and my Instax. I recently created a series using a Holga camera and my current series was shot with just a Fuji Instax camera. Sometimes the freedom to just focus on the simple controls available helps me focus on the feeling I get when I see the finished work, rather than achieving some kind of perfection.

Lisa Allen Washington, DC I shot this series in Iceland using an instant film camera.

I wanted to showcase the moody yet mystical nature of the landscape and transport the viewer to a place that would evoke unusual and even unsettling emotions.

What advice would you have for other photographers?

When I focus on creating for others instead of myself, or creating something that I hope will sell, the work sometimes doesn’t come together like I had hoped or doesn’t connect as well with others. My advice would be to create because you love doing it and because you have something to say or show.

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photography

Ira Jacob Seattle, WA - USA

Ira documents isolated and remote cultures. Specializing in how current events and global development are impacting remote peoples and societies around the world. Focusing on the Pamir, Karakoram, Himalaya, Taklimakan and Arctic regions.

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Margaux Panel New York, USA

The perspective of discovering new countries and cultures was the main aspiration of this project “Lotus”.

Drawn to capture black and white landscapes, Margaux is inspired to communicate the dependent and integral relationship humans have with nature.

‘The contrast between nature and city is intriguing as people build concrete cities that never sleep yet constantly trying to embrace the environment and implement projects.’

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photography

Neil Welch @nwelch01 - (bottom left)

Kristel Ter Beek Void - (top left) I used to dream of silent places, of a world without people when I was a child. I search for this world through my pictures. I put my world together by photographing everyday objects and places I find myself in during my walks through typical Dutch neighbourhoods. What others may find a dreary sight is where I feel at home.

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Photography from South Bank, looking at people in the city. The human aspect of his work help to display different themes, including scale, routine and the pace of change.

Sandra Jordan Hidden Beauty Large in character, many people would ignore or walk past these uncompromising, somewhat harsh, fortress-like structures. Yet to me they communicate strength, honesty, rawness, an openness that I admire. So much in society is judged on outside aesthetics, yet here they seem to stand proud and want to be seen despite

their somewhat cold appearance and grotesqueness. They’re not afraid to say “I’m standing here with all my physical imperfections but there is much much more to me if you just took the time to look”.

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photography

David Gilliver What do you feel is the most challenging thing about being a photographer?

The main challenge I have encountered so far is being able to make the work that I want to make and actually make a living out of it. It is incredibly challenging. I have had to learn very quickly that if you don’t market your services effectively you have no chance. It has been a very steep learning curve and I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning in terms of how best to market my work / workshops etc.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work I specialise in long-exposure photography, the art of ‘light painting’, which entails moving around portable light devices in the dark to create sculptures out of light. I also specialise in macro photography, my ‘Little People’ and toy series, which are a huge amount of fun to photograph. Around 8 years ago I created my first ever Light Painting (‘Electric Vazon’). I immediately fell in love with the process and would implore anyone who has not yet tried their hand at this amazing technique to give it a go. It’s an incredibly magical process and very therapeutic too. I teach light painting workshops to other photography enthusiasts, and more recently I have started teaching this technique in secondary schools around the UK which is pretty exciting.

Tell us what gear you use, what is your favorite equipment to use?

I currently shoot my work with my trusty Canon 5D Mark III DSLR camera. My favourite lens for Light Painting is my ‘L-series 24mm prime lens’. I also use a Manfrotto tripod and Hahnel remote trigger. In terms of Light Painting equipment, my favourite tool is probably my ‘LED Lenser V24’ which I use to make the neon ribbons that you will see in some of my work. It’s a wonderful tool!

It’s kind of like a posh lightsaber so it makes me feel like a bit of a Jedi!

What first got you interested in photography?

My Mum has always been a very keen photographer. Not in the professional sense, but she has always had a camera to hand for as long as I can remember, normally documenting family events and milestones. I’m guessing this must have something to do with my initial interest in picking up a camera. I was lucky enough to attend a school that had a dark-room so I was able to prepare a portfolio of work when I was just 16 years old which helped me get accepted to study at the Glasgow School of Art which was an amazing experience.

What advice would you have for other photographers?

My answer to this question will be different depending on who I am speaking to. If the question relates to someone who is thinking about becoming a professional photographer, I would say make sure that you really love what you do, are offering something a little bit different, and also understand that professional photography is only something like 10% about actually taking photos - the rest of the time is split between customer services, marketing / advertising / promoting, editing, etc. This reality can be a real shock to many people. In a nutshell: Persevere, believe, and don’t stop learning.

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art review

Review of Sarah Sze, Victoria Miro

by Kitty Bew Sze work explores our sense of time, place and distance, and the construction of memory, through the never-ending stream of images that we negotiate daily.

Afterimage, (left) Yellow Blow Out oil paint, acrylic paint, archival paper, UV stabilisers, adhesive, tape, ink and acrylic polymers, shellac, water based primer on wood.

On the ground floor of the Victoria Miro, Sarah Sze’s laden paintings demonstrate the continuing relevance of the craft of collage. Her canvases sit weighted with the colour and texture of not just paint, but ripple as well with material detritus; an amass of scrap paper, torn images, postage stamps and tape that serves to reposition the work within the realm of the sculptural. The work reflects an accepted Duchampian tradition of finding and selecting the mediocre or banal, through which value is bestowed only through its method of arrangement. Yet here, matter sprawls randomly across the room, fingered first against canvas, then wall, and then floor, seemingly without order or pattern. In the chaos of this tableau, individual pictures call for attention. One area is dominated by photos of trees, juxtaposed with a picture of an archeological dig, a volcano, and an image of the artist’s own studio. Another corner offers an assortment of art historical-themed postage stamps, inclusive of a Calder mobile, a Warhol portrait, and a Clyfford Still, set against stamps of the celestial Eagle Nebula. Pictures are accompanied by stray strips of coloured paper, sometimes pinned, often taped on top of others. Statements of colour and texture are quickly followed by a visual counter, producing a pictorial dialogue between the materiality of one scrap of paper, and another.

ings’, yet demonstrates a heightened dedication to the manipulation of space and light. Serving as a duplication of her own studio space, it is here that Sze’s adherence to the domestic becomes more clear, a structure that is inclusive of toilet roll, drink cans, house plants, and a jar of Hellman’s, as well as much of the images and strips of colour that can be found amongst the canvases. In admittance to the artist’s own studio, we are offered the vestiges of a narrative, that which concedes the domestic conventions of the artist herself. This medley of object and image however, as much reflects the anxious mind-mapping of a masturbatory conspiracy theorist, than it does the life of an artist.

Much like downstairs, the installation is delineated by shifts in colour, form, and texture, yet these terrains are further dramatised by the play of light issued from an array of video projectors set amongst the artist’s belongings. Unsurprisingly, the video loops depict the banal and straightforward; rippling waters, a smouldering fire, and geological patterning, serving to highlight the organic rootedness of her work, further implied by her devotion to the agrarian hues of greens, browns and blues. Moving images are enhanced by both assorted mirrors and pieces of paper, that serve to capture and then throw back up coloured projections, generating a feeling of disorientation that is part and parcel of the artworks sensory experience. In this room Sze demonstrates an astonishing ability to manipulate and exhibit light within a crowded space, playing off the density of some materials, against the transparency of others.

In the artist’s reliance on both material objects and digital imagery, there is an apparent tension between the material and the virtual, a sense that is reflected in the tensity between the visual anarchy of the gallery space, and the visual quietude of the gallery garden. Images in Debris rides on the coattails of this apprehension, existing in defiance of the space, as opposed to in harmony with it, a seditious juxtaposition that circumscribes the entire exhibition.

Whilst there is an obvious playfulness to her practice, Sze’s work screams of a neurotic propensity for collecting; hours of insomnious cutting and pasting, endlessly distilling and rearranging. Here the artist plays the role of collector, indulging in a process of mass cumulation and contemplation. The work invites a questioning of how objects and images first gather, and resonate within us, a query that has become all the more relevant within the context of the digital age, that which is now characterised by an interminable visual immersion.

Sze’s fractured and fleeting imagery directly recalls the overlay and overlap of the collective digital feed, a nod to how we experience images in the twenty-first century. In this sprawling hoard of material and message, Sze provides a visual preamble to her installation upstairs.

Images in Debris (2018), relies on the visual grammar of her ‘paint-

Images in Debris, (right) Mixed media: mirrors, wood, stainless steel, archival prints, projectors, lamps, desks, stools, l adders stone, acrylic paint (© Sarah Sze image credits Victoria Miro)

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Art review by Kitty Bew

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Josh Herrington

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Artwork featured on front cover by Josh Herrington.

Austin, Texas @circlecirclemath

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Josh Herrington

Josh Herrington

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work I am a graphic designer, photographer, and artist from Austin Texas. My design experience comes from the branding side of the industry. Early into my career I began to feel like the branding work was restricting and that most businesses were afraid to take chances; so, I took a job in-house with the marketing depart of a business who wasn’t afraid to be a bit different. That gave me the time and energy to focus on my instagram project, Circle Circle Math, where I got to be weird with it and truly find a style that would resonate with myself.

How would you describe your approach to design?

My approach to design is almost a rebellion at my schooling and the work I created in my first year of design. Everything was on a grid, every model was perfectly photoshopped, and in the end, I found myself wanting something “uglier” to connect with an audience rather than an unattainable perfection. I carry that philosophy with me in most of my work, and believe that even the most surreal take on a project can feel more authentic, and speak louder, than anything too polished.

Describe how you make your work? Is there a clear idea of how each work will look from the beginning?

Coming from the design world, I would love to say I come into every piece with a clear vision; however, truth be told, that rarely happens. The Circle Circle Math project was never about making something specific. It started as me creating one design every day for a year in the spirit of self-exploration. If you go back through the project you will see in the beginning the designs were silly illustrations and changed over time as I learned techniques and found myself. At this point in the project, I usually put on one of my favorite records, see what inspiration comes from that, and simply open photoshop and play until something starts to click.

Most everything I do at this point comes from photo manipulation and having the right photographic elements to achieve the effects.

Was there another form of art that inspired you before you started using digital resources?

Absolutely! In my salad days, I considered myself a photographer and “tricked” many into believing I was one as well. I mean, I definitely took pictures, but how I convinced anyone to pay me for that work I may never know. Film photography, and my passion for it will always be the inspiration that guided me to where I am now.

Another form of inspiration was art history and paintings. I was amazed by these people who created an entirely new world on a canvas and wanted so badly to do the same. I never picked up a paintbrush with much success, but I believe studying that gave me a better vision for what I would like to do.

Describe the trajectory of your career so far This answer could very well begin over a decade ago; so, in the sake of brevity, let’s say my career is only just beginning. Though I ran my own minorly successful branding “agency” in my last few years of school, I only graduated from university last winter.

Since then it has been a whirlwind of personal achievements and milestones I never saw coming from this project; most recently including the opportunity to create a tutorial for Photoshop’s social media and with musicians, I have listened to for a bit.

What advice would you give other digital artists?

The most important advice I ever followed was just to create constantly. I feel that creativity is similar to a muscle, and the more you use it the easier it is to call upon when you need it. Forming those habits have been crucial to my career and taking that extra time to create every day has accelerated my learning and passion for art and design.

Check out more of Josh’s work on his instagram @circlecirclemath

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minimalist

Have less, Do more.

With the ‘minimalist’ project we wanted to see how the term would be interpreted by artists, whether the term would share a tight conceptual idea clear amongst artists, or be a concept up for debate on its approach. It is pretty clear from the submissions we have received that the idea of minimalism has vast interpretation.

The interest of minimalism is the idea of an artwork saying what needs to be said, without needing a lot to say it. This could be limitations by colour, material or line. Pairing down rather than overcomplicating is an essential part of the minimalist concept. Minimalism bares a certain similarity to abstraction, however it was a movement initially formed to reject abstract expressionism, aiming to remove all excess to expose the most basic essence of art.

MINIMALIST

To be minimalistic is an open window, characterised by the deliberate lack of decoration, striving to consume less, clarity, purpose, and intentionality. Minimalism is a hugely popular lifestyle idea, sparked greatly by over-consumption, the shrinkage of technology and even as a tool to reduce debt. The Minimalists (theminimalists.com) offer a series of podcasts discussing the importance of the topic.

To be a minimalist artist has moved far from the likes of Mondrian and Judd.

It’s easily debatable what is minimal and what isn’t but as a theoretical ideal, it’s certainly harder to differentiate or navigate, post-minimalism is a term that describes art taking influence from minimalism and creating a go-between.

Bo Cosfranz | London, Silhouette (right)

Joseph O’Neill | New York, USA 23

minimalist

minimalist

Aly Morgan Portland, Oregon

Katya Derksen Elements print Katya creates drawings to visualise how the lines can be presented and experiments with various materials to create a bold, graphic and energetic experience.​Space defies the dimensions and texture of the piece, which reflects the palette utilising the arrangement of lines. Her installations are composed of wood, paint, tape, paper and found materials

Beatriz Barba

connecting aspects of daily life in urban environments and minimalistic two and three-dimensional work. Her influences include the combination of materials and surfaces, which are given volume, rhythm and, movement displaying architectural elements. The continuous lines allow for the transformation of the dynamics into an energetic space. Katya seeks to interrogate and inquire about space and relationships within it, being the aesthetic as well as the functional.

Aly’s latest series, Olio combines seemingly unrelated colours and shapes transforming them into distinct forms, translating parts into something whole. ‘With an ever-growing collection of found and handmade papers, I am eager to see this series continue to grow and evolve into a language all its own.’

Nadadora A great sense of curiosity takes me forward working with Collage. Striving for the unknown - how images find each other, after being realised in different times and ages, places and moments as different reasons for existence.

Rhonda Barrett Halifax, Canada Family Ties sumanigashi, collage and acrylic on board

Regan Boyce Regan’s minimalist structures lack any resemblance or comparability to real-life functional objects. Aluminium tubing replicates spontaneously drawn lines and shapes, moving flat drawings into a 3-dimensional space.

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Eunmi Mimi Kim

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work.

I was born and raised in South Korea. Had a BA Fine Arts, Multimedia & Interactive Design at Hanyang University from Korea. This summer I finished my Master at the Royal College of Art, Information Experience Design - Experimental Pathway. My art practice has been diversified by crossing over different fields through various mediums. In university years, I was keen on more 2D graphic design rather than my major. I was intrigued a lot by the fact: one layout turns out differently when applied to different frames, varying the amount of space between different letter combination bring the result in artistically subtle differences in a way. But one day I had doubts about the short-sighted, one-dimensional paradigm regarding the design industry in Korea. As a matter of fact, people tend to concern mainly appearance over substance, it is a mere pretty fluff which is ephemeral and void. I was willing to get away from flat-screen-based-work, to pursue conceptual/ theory-based work that contains something in a depth, more profound and thought- provoking. That’s how I decided to go abroad and start a new chapter of my practice.

EUNMI MIMI KIM Me-Time mindfulness-introspection-void 1.0, 2.0

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Tell us about the themes you pursue in your work I define myself an experimental media practitioner in a contemporary art context. I do mainly research, experimentation, performance regarding sensory perception and its corresponding communication. Most of my works tend to be self-reflective and researchdriven. I’m pursuing a new form of communication and the aesthetics that emerged from my scientific/medical interest, emancipatory possibilities of research and experimentation between art and science in a conceptual way. Especially sensorial experience, for instance, an eccentric way of sensory deprivation practices.

What art do you most identify with? any specific influences or research areas?

I would say I am a cross-disciplinary artist or contemporary-experimental-media-practitioner who deals with visual arts performance, installation and sound art. What I’m interested in are a biology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology and prosthetic art. I’ve been trying to reflect my scientific/medical interests into my own form of art through various medium. To specify this, my interests during the period of postgraduate school: Royal College of Art were focused on embodied cognition, neural activity and sensory deprivation based on my physical, physiological, psychological feature and personality-wise: Since I have hormone/stress-related disease called hyperthyroidism, hypersensitivity and meticulousness, I am rather sensitive to sensory input in turn easily being pushed into sensory overload. Based on this, I dig on transcendental consciousness and therapeutic experience. For instance, < Me-Time (4.0) (2018)> series are self-experiments, it aims to align my mind and body back into balance by reducing sensory stimuli through eccentric methods of sensory deprivation and isolation.

In a similar context, < Inhale you, Inhale me (2017) > is about exploring olfactory communication. Since people interact with each other where visual and acoustic perception is overstrained, ocular-centric thinking makes people think they remember someone by their appearance based merely upon what they see. This project aims to conceptually investigate how olfactory perception, corresponding memory, and communication ultimately blur the boundaries of human perception.

Hopefully, this will not just challenge the ocular-centric world hypothesis, but also explore the potentiality of what we tend to neglect in the world of sensory experience. Despite the elusiveness and impalpability of the sense of smell, we should take scent into account as one of the integral sensory transmission channels that deeply influence human emotion, experience, and

memory.

Is there something you couldn't live without in your practical work ? what is your most essential tool?

A LAPTOP most. I need to research a lot, even organise my thought by writing and of course editing after production is essential for me. I don’t usually create things by my hands while sitting on the floor like a bonafide fine artist. But It depends on what types of work I create. For instance, when I make prototype model making, I’m particularly fond of spending the time to combine all materials by my hands with different juxtaposition while experimenting all possibilities. But when I make installation work or some experiments or even sound works, I utilise a state of art technologies and certain programme. But not all the time.

Tell us how you organise, plan, and prioritise your work My works are usually research-driven so I do lots of research beforehand and contemplate quite a long time since I am (INFP-T personality type) reserved, observant and slow-pace person. In other words, having my own time and space allows me to explore between contemplative, technical and theoretical practice.

I reckon it usually embarks on my practice from a very intuitive state of an idea even like a gut feeling. I tend to keep not yet to verbalise idea into my brain and mind because the sheer amount of thoughts are floating and I tend it to be there as it is and it comes and goes quickly.

For example, if we experience things in our daily life in every single moment, (more in unfamiliar surroundings though) I feel loads of things at the same time and in my head that is difficult to describe in verbal form. Amongst them sometimes I try to make some archives, a note with certain inspiration, once I organise, I could command.

To be honest, I don’t usually make a plan and I despise the stress from the time pressure, but simultaneously I’m a total procrastinator so usually only just before a deadline. Such an Irony. So I guess I always need a due for the completion of work.

Professionally, what is your goal?

I’m eager for articulating about who I am, what I think, ultimately, my own world by my own artistic language.

I’d like to explore more and more. As for now, I would like to open up the approach to the medium and stimulate iterative research, experimentation and crossovers that are based on the contemplative, technical and theoretical way so that makes my practice more firm and rich. For a long-term goal, It sounds like a cliche though I want to attain a reputation as a South Korean artist so that people are curious about Korean art & culture in general besides Japan & China.

Are there any upcoming exhibitions or projects in the works?

There will be an exhibition and artist talk - “ Hey, Siri, What am I doing?” Exhibition: 29th Nov - 2nd Dec @ Safe House 2 (SE15 3SN), London.

Artist Talk: 1st Dec - Korean Cultural Centre of UK, WC2N 5BW another next year: 24th Jan - 17th Feb 2019 called YICCA (International Contest of Contemporary Art) — @ Prsten Gallery - HDLU museum, Croatian Association of Fine Artists, Zagreb, Croatia.

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Eunmi Mimi Kim london 2018 | Conceptual Performance | Experimental Research | Video Installation Exhibited RCA MA Final Show @ West Work, London

minimalist

Gary LaPointe Jr

A hypothetical location in time and space, where initial priorities or actions are suspended temporarily; materials remain as materials, and idle through functionality; compromised in visibility; as a doubling effect; or as an act of disappearance; performing under possible considerations; of preparation, of application, and of use value. In my works, I am interested in revealing the current social and political infrastructures that are assembled materially within our urban construct, and question how they are defined or transformed by an individual; as a participant, or as noncompliant. Within this navigational inquiry, I investigate frameworks of value in relation to the function of material objects, systems of circulation, and architectural models of spatial negotiation. Through means of displacement and intervention, I collect material objects that locate failure within these designed systems in order to raise questions of authority and authenticity.

Gary LaPointe Jr (edit, revision 1) 2017, 25.5â&#x20AC;? x 34â&#x20AC;?plexiglass, protective film, permanent marker, repurposed frames, and hardware Chicago, USA

Anne Cecile Surga Untitled, 2018, 50 x 13 x 9 cm Carrara Marble Foix, France

Anne Cecile Surga (right) I am searching the spectrum of the personal and the emotional, and how our contemporary consumerist society affects the way we live, feel and develop the notion of the selves. I am interested in how human continue to be true to their core in this environment despite the daily violence it obliges us to face and to commit to other. My works can be understood as elaborations of emotional reactions to societal issues. As a woman, my work is reflective of the distinctive challenges that I face in my private life, and I believe it shines a light and a commentary on societal issues that are inherent of our time. I decided to pursue my inquiry intoidentity through the specific lens of Trauma, whether it being physical, emotional or psychological. I am exploring how it affects one or more persons, and which strategies of survival can be found.

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Anthony Hou

I cry for my Pride

We have those days

that we look back to

when we felt the greatest woe to no one but me

only I could understand

such a significance like then Anthony Hou - Beaverton, USA

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minimalist

Masha Nova | Milan, Italy

(above) Colin Hill | Toronto, Canada

(below) Andre Bogart Szabo | New York USA

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Nell Nicholas Exploring the Significance of Site in Michael Rakowitz’s “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist”

Extract from Nell Nicholas’ essay Exploring the Significance of Site in Michael Rakowitz’s “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” by Michael Rakowitz, a sculpture that is due to stand on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square between 2018 and 2020, has been awarded the prestigious international art prize of the same name.

Today London has reached the status of a global megacity. It is not only England’s capital, but one of the major centres of the art world too: the city dominates the UK visual arts sector, which accounts for 30% of the entire global art market (London City Hall, 2017). At the city’s nucleus lies Trafalgar Square. Surrounded by architectural wonders and leading cultural institutions, Trafalgar Square hosts major events, demonstrations, displays and performances. It is home to The National Gallery, which in 2016 was the second most popular tourist attraction in the UK, receiving 6.26 million visitors (ALVA, 2017). Trafalgar Square is the beating heart of the cosmopolis. Art writer Isabel de Vasconcellos (2006, p9) compares Trafalgar Square to the ancient Greek ‘agora’, or ‘assembly’; the part of the city in which people would gather, where the leaders spoke to the public and the public spoke to each other (De Vasconcellos, 2006).

The Square is a rich visual showcase of London’s power, majesty and imperial rule. It flaunts Great Britain’s military dominance. In fact, it was built to celebrate this.

Constructed and opened in the mid- nineteenth century, Trafalgar Square was built in commemoration of Britain’s victory over France and Spain at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, a naval battle in which 1,587 British soldiers were killed or wounded, and an estimated 16,000 French and Spanish soldiers were killed, wounded or captured (Birbeck, 2018). Its

centerpiece is Nelson’s Column, a 169-foot tribute to Admiral Horatio Nelson who lead the British Navy to this victory. Guarding the column are four lions. Lions are national symbols and traditionally represent bravery, courage and strength. The four eighteen-foot bronze panels on the column’s pedestal are cast from French guns that were captured during the battle. The panels depict four victories: Trafalgar, The Battle of Copenhagen, the Battle of the Nile and the Battle of Cape St Vincent, Portugal. There are eleven further monuments and statues in the square, all installed to glorify and commemorate famous British war admirals responsible for the defeat of other countries at battle.

In this sense, Trafalgar Square is a museum of British imperialism, an expression of British supremacy within racial hierarchy. Edward Said defines imperialism as “the practice, the theory and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan centre ruling a distant territory” (Said, 1994 p8).

Square, and is perhaps an attempt to decrease racial divides in Britain. Simons (cited in Dex, 2017) believes that the winning sculpture “shows that London is open to creativity and ideas from around the world.”

“The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” is part of a much larger ongoing project of the same name. In 2006 Rakowitz began his mission to reconstruct approximately 7000 artefacts from the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad that had been looted or lost in the aftermath of the 2003 US and British- led invasion of Iraq. The artefacts include statues, friezes, and precious ceramics. Instead of using original materials, the artefacts are made from recycled packaging of Middle Eastern foodstuffs and local Arabic newspapers (Rakowitz, 2017). The project weaves together the archaeological and sociopolitical histories of both the artefacts and Iraq itself. Considering the British involvement in these events, it is particularly poignant that this discussion is moving to central London.

The Fourth Plinth Project was launched in 1999, creating an extraordinary new platform for contemporary artists. The plinth had remained empty since the construction of the Trafalgar Square. It was intended that an equestrian bronze statue of William IV would stand on the Fourth Plinth, however this never materialized due to exhausted funds, and so the plinth stood vacant for over 150 years.

The winning sculpture will be a recreation of an Assyrian protective deity named Lamassu - an Ancient Mesopotamian winged bull with a human head. This hybrid combines the creatures that the Mesopotamians considered to be the most powerful.

Michael Rakowitz’s projects engage with issues such as migration, refugees, homelessness, cultural displacement, international trade, and the commemorative function of art. Much of his work focuses on Iraq - he is of Iraqi Jewish heritage (Rakowitz, 2017). By selecting an Iraqi artist to feature their artwork on the Fourth Plinth, the committee addresses the need to feature more non-western art within the city. This could be seen as an active movement away from a historically nationalistic way of discussing global politics evident within Trafalgar

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The installation of “The Invisible Enemy” in Trafalgar Square could on one hand be interpreted as a progressive discussion of conflict from an unbiased, humane perspective (a very different approach to the imperialist sentiments historically expressed within Trafalgar Square) and on another, it could stand as evidence that imperial and nationalistic biases remain embedded within discussions surrounding conflict and terror in Trafalgar Square.

Read the full essay on our website murze.org/blog

CIRCULAR ART

Siddharth Gadiyar W4120 - Mandala 5 Siddharth Gadiyar is an extraordinary image maker, each painting takes 2-3 hours to complete, in which time Sid is completely focused, something that is unheard of in any other area of Sid’s life. Sid’s clear intention and his swift decisive action result in these bold and beautiful images that are full of purpose and wonderfully free from self-conscious restraint.

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Traditional Japanese ceramics and aesthetics continue to influence my work. At the moment I have a favourite room in the National Gallery Victoria that has Egyptian ceramics, Aztec palma and other American artefacts.

The material qualities are beautiful and the graphic forms are incredibly inspiring.

Is there something you couldn’t live without in your studio? what is your most essential tool?

There are definitely object tools which I use regularly like pottery kidneys, quality paper and sketchbooks, but the most essential tool throughout my practice is the body and my hands. I’m interested in engaging the body as tool and I consider the makers mark and evidence of its making to be essential to the reading of my works.

Tell us how you organise, plan, and prioritise your work A piece has usually been brewing in the back of my mind for weeks or even months. Snippets of research blend with experiences and slowly start to form into an idea or feeling. It’s this sensation that becomes my focus. I might be aiming for a lightness, a warmth, or a sense of tension. Usually I then make notes and sketches, before loosely selecting colours, textures and forms.

Carragh Amos Melbourne, Australia

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your work Although neither of my parents pursued creative careers I was fortunate to grow up in a home where art and creativity were celebrated, and after experimenting with ideas at art school my passion for making evolved into a fascination with the handmade. I make work to better process and understand the world around me. Currently i’m thinking about the ‘Post-Digital Artisan’, and what it means to make art at this time.

Tell us about the themes you pursue in your work I have a foundational interest in the handmade and act of making. A handful of other interconnected themes surround this, such as process, craft, value, function and industry. Evidence of the artist, seen in impressions of the hand or obvious labour and time, are visible in finished sculptures and drawings. In my ceramic installations I’ve also been using emotion to guide production, with my collective research and experiences supporting an intuitive making process and resulting language of abstract and vessel forms.

Most recently I have been exploring the ways the post-digital environment (with mass production and the advance of 3D printing) is influencing the way we encounter objects day to day. In some of these labour intensive drawings the concept of ‘body as vessel’ or the idea that our bodies are vessels for emotions and our consciousness - is referenced with elevation of the ceramic vessel to an icon, drawing a parallel between the human body and the handmade form.

What art do you most identify with? any specific influences or research areas?

There’s no specific movement that I identify with. I appreciate the imperfection of the handmade - at the moment I’m not interested in creating the perfect object or glorifying quality craftsmanship (unlike the Arts & Craft movement). I guess I’m mostly interested in ceramic art that has a conceptual foundation, but I try to avoid getting lost in the current trends and overwhelming quantity of material we now have access to. If I need ceramic art inspiration I find myself returning to work by Beatrice Wood, Hsu Yunghsu, Kate Newby and Gabriel Orozco. Lately I’ve also been looking at digital art by designers like Wang & Söderström.

To make original work it’s important for me to find my own inspiration in places that aren’t only ceramic art. My main method of research is making, however I also read regularly, most recently on the psychology of craft and reaching ‘flow state’ when doing a creative activity. Travel is fantastic for exposure to forms and textures and I enjoy museums and galleries.

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My ceramics evolve very intuitively, the shape influencing size and colour. In a sculpture each colour informs the placement of the next object, so I suppose it’s quite a painterly way to build up a work. With recent drawings the form is more precisely planned but the colours still evolve as I progress across the paper. I find working to a deadline extremely useful for productivity - I line up the deadlines chronologically so I don’t miss anything important. The tabs in my browser can get a bit out of control!

Describe the trajectory of your career as an artist so far After completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts (hons) at Elam at the University of Auckland in 2013, I moved cities and began submitting to local exhibitions. At art school I had been exposed to sculpture and had become passionate about materiality and how sculpture can engage with space. In Wellington I joined a potters’ association which was invaluable as a space to work and to learn from mentors and experienced ceramists. Shortly afterwards in 2015 I held my first solo exhibition with works on paper and clay objects featuring repetition. Currently I’m traveling the world continuing my practice and contributing to group exhibitions as I move. Last year I was fortunate to be able to share a ceramic studio in Montreal with some talented ceramists, which gave me freedom for a much larger output of work over 2017. I’m planning on working towards a second solo exhibition in 2019.

Professionally, what is your goal?

I hope that people will see my work and question the everyday things we become used to, to look a little closer, and to consider the broader view of where we are and where we are going. The best thing for me would be a viewer thinking about the artwork days, weeks or months later. It shows that it was registered at a deeper level and that the ideas had value.

Are there any upcoming exhibitions or projects in the works?

I have a couple of drawings in upcoming 50 Squared at Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne (Jan 2019).

I’m really interested in this digital / artisan hybrid at the moment, so I am pursuing that through drawings but also considering how it might morph into a ceramic installation in LA next year.

Simon Hartles | Cornwall, Uk (above)

Tanya Vacarda | Belfast, NI (below)

Art for Advent check out our online artist interviews, murze.org/blog Alycia Rainaud (above) , Allan Banford (below)

1st - 24th december

ART THINGS “Uprisings” at the Contemporary Art University Museum in Mexico City.

The show was on from February 24 - July 29 2018 A sweeping show curated by French art historian Georges Didi Huberman. Topical, ostensibly a highly theoretical show, the exhibition features documentation of literal revolt—paintings, films, photographs, even engravings—set within the largest public institution in Mexico.

Hope to Nope: Graphics and Politics at the Design Museum. The exhibition ran from March 28 - August 12 2018 From the financial crash of 2008 to the political upheaval brought about by Brexit and Trump, there’s been a lot to keep up with. The rise of social media and internet memes and the continued use of protest placards have given fresh new ways to disseminate political messages, and the Design Museum explored how graphic design has reshaped a new political voice.

CONTRIBUTES Aly Morgan Andre Bogart Szabo Andy House Anne Cecile Surga Anthony Hou Aysegul Turan Beatriz Barba Bo Cosfranz Carragh Amos CC Teakell

Claire Oberst Colin Hill Dan Younger David Gilliver Eunmi Mimi Kim FeiFan Zhang Gary LaPointe Jr Ira Jacob Jennifer Lothrigel Joseph O’Neill

Josh Herrington Katya Derksen Kitty Bew Kristel Ter Beek Lisa Allen Lucas Gabellini Fava Margaux Panel Masha Nova Natalia González Martín Neil Welch

Nell Nicholas Regan Boyce Rhonda Barrett Rupali Kiran Morzaria Sarah Kitteridge Sandra Jordan Siddharth Gadiyar Simon Hartles Tanya Vacarda Vera Benschop

We thank everyone who has submitted work to murze, and taken part in issue three, for more information about artists involved head to murze.org

The Toronto Biennial of Art is a 90-day contemporary art exhibition. Launching September 21 2019, the exhibition will feature exhibitions, commissions, performances and educational events in various locations along the city’s waterfront.

The curated program will be artist-centered, driven by research and responsive to the questions and challenges of our times.

This Biennial will also be deeply collaborative, developed in partnership with other organizations. The shared aim is to galvanize the city and connect its communities around art and culture. In an effort to make contemporary art accessible to everyone, admission to curated venues and outdoor installations will be free and open to the public.

Artwork above and Back cover artwork by Rupali Kiran Morzaria | Toronto (minimalist project)

Solo exhibition by the Portuguese artist, filmmaker, and writer Pedro Neves Marques at Pérez Art Museum Miami. The exhibition, Pedro Neves Marques: A Mordida, open from December 4 2018 - July 28 2019 Presented as an audio-visual installation, it features the premiere of new films commissioned by PAMM, digital animations, and a sound piece by London-based musician Fraencis. This exhibition is a fitting introduction for US audiences to Neves Marques’ work, bringing together explorations that address clashes among politics of nature, technology, and gender.

The Turner prize 2018 at the Tate Britain. On until 6 January 2019 Luke Willis Thompson, autoportrait 2017, 35mm.

The first-ever Turner Prize to feature only film works, this exhibition has been billed as the most political in its history, with pieces addressing everything from human rights abuses to sexual identity. Tackling pressing issues in society today, the four shortlisted artists for this year are: Luke Willis Thompson, Charlotte Prodger, Naeem Mohaiemen, Forensic Architecture The winner of the prize will be announced at an award ceremony in December 2018.

murze issue 4 coming 2019 get involved murze.org/projects

Add your art events to murze.org/events 42

murze 2018