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16/9/2011

Material Spiritual World

Deweer Gallery, Otegem

Curated by Filip Luyckx

The spiritual world is not clearly defined. Its existence can be completely denied or, on the contrary, situated out of reach, in a world beyond ours. It is impossible to agree on what we mean by the term ‘spiritual’, let alone to discuss the subject consistently. Most of the time there is a task division between science – with its focus on the material world - and the spiritual domain. In order to be taken seriously, spiritual claims must not contradict science and reason. Nevertheless, there are several good reasons - even from a skeptical point of view - to have a continued interest in spiritual issues as a cultural phenomenon, in popular as in high-brow culture. A lot of artists and philosophers have taken into consideration a spiritual dimension, which is related to deeply rooted psychological strivings. In the future, in a virtual dimension, mankind could even strive for goals that do not exist yet. Paranormal phenomena also exist since the beginnings of mankind, only nowadays they look simple in comparison with the concepts about parallel universes elaborated by theoretical physics.

This exhibition brings together the work of three very different artists dealing with the spiritual dimension. Rather than to express clear systems of (dis)belief, each work invites visitors to take part in a visual and mental experience.

The work of Yehudit Sasportas (Israel / Berlin) combines science, mysticism and craftmanship. Abstract insights about the world are mirrored in multi-layered landscapes, illustrating ways of integrating both knowledge about contemporary physics and spiritual experience into the representation of nature. "The Lightworkers", a double-channel video projection from 2010, is one of her most elaborated video installations.

Georgina Starr (UK) presents a new version of a sound installation based on an investigation entitled 'I am the Medium". The work deals with fragmented voices of spirits recorded during seances with psychic mediums. The visitor is invited to experience them interactively and in a personal way.

Marnie Weber (USA) will present her new film "The Eternal Heart" (2010). Translucent figures dance on a graveyard and then slide into a story resembling a silent movie. A girl is invited to overcome demons from her past with the help of the force of love. After a hallucinating dance and procession, she arrives in afterlife with all her monsters tamed.

Short artist's biography

Yehudit Sasportas was born in 1969 in Ashdod, Israel. Since 1993 she teaches at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Israel. She lives and works in Berlin, Germany, and Tel Aviv, Israel.
Yehudit Sasportas works mainly with video-installations, drawings and sculptures.
Recent solo shows include a solo at Galerie EIGEN + ART, Leipzig, Germany, 2011; Hazipur, Herbert-Gerisch-Stiftung, Neumünster, 2010; The clearing of the unseen, DA2 Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca, Spain, 2009; The Laboratory, Kunstverein Braunschweig, Germany, 2008; The Guardians of the Threshold, 52nd Venice Biennial, Israelian Pavillon, Venice, Italy, 2007.

Georgina Starr was born in 1968 in Leeds, UK. She lives and works in London, UK.
Her works have been described as "large-scale installations combining video and sculpture to create emotional stories about lost or fragile phenomena”.
Recent solo shows include I am a Record & I am the Medium, Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France, 2010; Top 40 on Fire, performance, Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France, 2010; THEDA (with Sigune von Osten), Delphi Silent Movie Theatre, Berlin, Germany, 2010; FLESH: The Great Illusion, The Life & Work of Ronald Wright (presented by Georgina Starr & Paul Noble), London, UK, 2010; Georgina Starr, Pinksummer, Genova, Italy, 2009; THEDA, Sala del Minor Consiglio, Palazzo Ducale, Genova, Italy, 2009; THEDA, Images, Harbourfront Centre Theatre, Toronto, Canada, 2009; Grrrrrrradio, web podcast project, 2009; THEDA, Anthology Film Archives, New York, USA, 2007; The Face of Another, Tracy Williams Ltd., New York, USA, 2007; THEDA, Artproject at A Foundation, Greenland Street, Liverpool, UK, 2007; THEDA, Art Film, Art 38 Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2007; THEDA, nca | nichido contemporary art, Tokyo, Japan, 2007.

Marnie Weber was born in 1959 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. She lives and works in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Her work includes photography, sculpture, installation, film, video, and performances. She is also a musician.
Recent solo shows include Eternity Forever, West of Rome Pulic Art, Altadena, CA, 2010; Marnie Weber, The Cinema Show, A Filmic retrospective, Le Magasin Centre National d'Art Contemporain de Grenoble, France (curated by Yves Aupetitallot), 2010; The Campfire Song, Sint Lukas Galerie, Brussels, Belgium (curator Ann Cesteleyn), 2009; The Truth Speakers, Sea of Silence, Simon Lee Gallery, London, UK, 2009; The Bondage of Decay, Marc Jancou Contemporary, New York, NY, USA, 2009; The Melancholy Circus, Galerie Praz-DeLavallade, Paris, France, 2008; Saving the Farm, Bernier/Eliades Gallery, Athens, Greece, 2008; A Western Song, Utställningar Hösten 07, Vita Kuben, Umea, Sweden, 2007; Sing Me A Western Song, Patrick Painter Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA (catalogue), 2007; Variations on a Western Song, Fredericks Freiser Gallery, New York, NY, USA, 2007; From a Western Song, Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, UK, 2007.

Image: Georgina Starr, Theda (Act / The Séance), 2007-10, filmstill, Courtesy the artist

Opening Saturday 17 September 15:00 - 18:30

DEWEER gallery
Tiegemstraat 6A
B-8553 Otegem Belgium
Opening hours: We., Thu., Fri. & Su. from 14:00 until 18:00, and by appointment. Closed on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday

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