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MONUMENTS “Between the beneath
and the above”, was formally
opened by Her Grace the Duchess
of Bedford during the Bloomsbury
Festival on the 21st
October. It is situated in the
vast underground space of the
iconic, modernist Brunswick
Centre in Bloomsbury. If
MONUMENTS at the Brunswick was
only about painting it would be
powerful enough but it is also
about diverse locations and
inherent questions as to how we
value the aesthetic, the
spiritual and humanity
Each location is
chosen for its architectural,
historical, cultural uniqueness.
This is also reflected in the
sub text, which at the Brunswick
is a quote by Jacques Derrida
“Between the beneath and the
above” referring to the “subjectile”,
the artworks physical support
and echoed in the buildings
crude concrete surfaces. This
location is in striking contrast
to the Palazzo Contarini where
it was located during the Venice
Biennale.
The work invites you through an
exploratory journey, a narrative
that begins outside the building
as you are confronted by this
concrete edifice, imposed upon
Georgian Bloomsbury through to
Duffy’s bold, dark monolithic
installation, which juxtaposes
itself within the symmetry of
the enormous modernist space.
Within the light flooded
installation you are confronted
by paintings of vivid blue,
whose sculptural qualities open
an engagement with the
surrounding architecture and the
viewer.
There is a spirituality within
the void, it is after all a
sanctuary, a place to reflect.
The near 10ft (3m) high
paintings in oils on board
appear to float on the walls
with powerful figurative
overtones.
The effect is strangely ethereal
whilst having an undoubted
physical, embodied presence. The
torn, etched, scraped, scratched
and brushed images flooded with
deep, translucent blues carry us
backwards and forwards between
the beneath and the above of
their surface and also the
building. These painting push
the boundaries of abstract art
and painting generally.
MONUMENTS was installed at the
2009 Venice Biennale in the 16thcentury
Palazzo Contarini, which Ruskin
hailed as the finest Gothic
palazzo in Venice. It was
sponsored by Sotheby's
International Realty and
promoted by The British Council.
In 2008 MONUMENTS it was in
Liverpool during its year as
European Capital of Culture and
sponsored by Barclays Bank and
the Holt Foundation.
Private View
Invitation email:
info@terryduffy.info
Press release email:
dave@covertpr.com
Artists talk information email:
info@terryduffy.info
Festival weekend open dates and
times:
Saturday
22nd October
11.00-17.00 : Sunday 23rd
October 12.00-16.00.
Following days and times until
20th November:
Wednesday 12.00-18.00. Thursday
12.00-20.00. : Fridays
12.00-18.00. Saturdays
11.00-16.00
Closed
Sundays, Mondays & Tuesdays.
Except by appointment.
Location\
By the Marchmont St entrance to
the Brunswick Centre, opposite
Boots the chemists; nearest
underground station: Russell Sq.
Acknowledgements:
Dr Jeremy Pilcher. Covertpr.com.
The Bloomsbury Festival.
The British Art and Design
Association. The Brunswick.
Sotheby's International Realty.
Barclays Bank.
PPG Coatings.
Beers Timber Liverpool. The Holt
Foundation.
Sponsored
by 'The Brunswick' |
