22/1/2015
Camilla Steinum
Rod Barton, London
Dubious Desire for Cleanliness. For the exhibition the artist presents a selection of the latest floor-based sculptural works.
Rod Barton is delighted to present Dubious Desire for Cleanliness, the first
solo exhibition in the UK by Berlin based artist Camilla Steinum (born1986 in
Oslo, Norway). Featuring a selection of Steinum’s latest floor-based sculptural
works, Dubious Desire for Cleanliness challenges the viewer to address ideas
around what it is to call something an art object and what exactly can be
considered the material content of art.
Through careful consideration of materials Steinum emphasises the qualities and
character of objects and materials. Predominantly working with textiles, felt,
ready-made objects and metal frameworks, these materials when carefully
arranged and manipulated create juxtapositions that highlight their inherent
differences, or as the artist puts it their ‘material contrast’ – dirty to clear, organic
to manmade or small to large.
Many of the objects used by Steinum are existing items that form part of our
daily routine – a shower curtain, bookshelf or cup. These non-descript items are
pulled away from their traditional uses as separator or container and reimagined
into sculptural assemblages. This shift from structured to fluid is a key theme in
much of Steinum’s work and can be seen as a direct response to her work with
textiles.
Steinum sees her textile work in two distinct strands – felting and work created
through weaving on a loom. The inherent differences in production with the
structure and order of the loom on the one hand and more organic nature of felt,
lie at the heart of much of Steinum’s theoretical grounding. Citing Deleuze and
Guattaris’ A Thousand Plateaus (1980) moving away from the loom and its
production through grid, it’s connections to mass-production, capitalism and
the industrial. Instead felt relates far more to the hand made through the use of
wool and, un-mechanised mode of production. Working with felt, will never
produce a clear linear narrative, but rather will grow organically – this contrast of
organic vs structured is vital in the production of Steinum’s work.
Recent solo presentations: Symbols of Existential Dirt, One Night Only (ONO),
Oslo 2014; Fagelig refills (collaboration with Knut Ivar Aaser), Pleasant Project
Space, Copenhagen 2012; SO DRY YOU COULDN`T SPIT (with Aurora
Passero), Akershuskuntnersenter, Lillestrøm 2012; Crushed and renewed,
Gallery Seilduken, Oslo 2011; Life is cold. Burn some bridges and warm up the
remains, Snake Mountain Gallery, Oslo 2011; Sink! Wash! Vaska! (collaboration
with Knut Ivar Aaser) Kurant, Tromsø 2010
Image: Invitation
Opening: 23 January 18:00 – 21:00
Rod Barton
41-45 Consort Road
Thu - Sat 12pm to 6pm