EXAM by ED PEARMAN
I am now at the stage that I should be writing my thesis, so as a starting point I will update my blog………been to see a few shows and read a couple of good texts, so here goes. What sticks in my mind most is the recent show ‘Exam’ at transition gallery curated by Ed Pearman, a really great show. They say: “Exam. is a study of externalised anti-social existentialism. An exhibition of art, which operates outside of, or discusses accepted communal norms and customs. Unorthodox relationships, death and superstition, sociological confusion, and stereotypes are exposed through the media of painting, sculpture, collage and print. If society is collaborative then these artists are practicing in isolation. Their intent: to bring themes of unrest, obsession and morbidity to the fore.” http://www.transitiongallery.co.uk/htmlpages/Exam/…
An important concern in Adam Dix’s work is the contradiction between the wish to communicate using technology and the physical isolation induced through this technology. Also the idea that the more isolated we become through use of communicative technology, the more obedient and dependent we are destined to be. One can also reference Stockholm syndrome (where we become attached to our kidnappers), with ideas of the shamen (the captor).
REVIEW: http://www.transitiongallery.co.uk/documents/a-n_apr_2011.pdf
I am dealing with similar issues thinking of the choice and control we have in life, how much is controlled by the system? and how much choice do we really have? when delving into the systems that we live within, we see that many accepted norms and customs are actually damaging or unhelpful in some way and actually were set up due to unknown agendas. Off the top of my head I am thinking about health care, the hidden agendas are the pharmaceutical companies profits – delve a bit deeper and you find fraud and incompetence. see http://www.mercola.com website for research on health matters.
Also the loans given to Asia to supposedly support their economy, where really to allow westerners to remove their investments and the whole economy crashed. see ‘All watched over by machines of loving grace’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz2j3BhL47c&feature…
For greater understanding I have looked up existentialism on my best friend wikipedia “The early 19th century philosopher Søren Kierkegaard is regarded as the father of existentialism.[5][6] He maintained that the individual is solely responsible for giving her or his own lifemeaning and for living that life passionately and sincerely,[7][8] in spite of many existential obstacles and distractions includingdespair, angst, absurdity, alienation, and boredom.[9]
“Subsequent existentialist philosophers retain the emphasis on the individual, but differ, in varying degrees, on how one achieves and what constitutes a fulfilling life, what obstacles must be overcome, and what external and internal factors are involved, including the potential consequences of the existence[10][11] or non-existence of God.[12][13] Many existentialists have also regarded traditional systematic or academic philosophy, in both style and content, as too abstract and remote from concrete human experience.[14][15] Existentialism became fashionable in the post-World War years as a way to reassert the importance of human individuality and freedom.[16]
