"INSECTS" - EXHIBITIONS
September 10th and 11th 2018, 2- 10 PM
reading of short stories at 8:30 pm
Pop-Up Galleries, 79-81 Kings Road Arches, Brighton, UK
right next to the 360i at the beachfront
August 8th - 12th 2018, St. Petersburg, Russia
INSECTS
Exhibition by Elana Neil, Elena Slobtseva and Viv Iana
Elana’s project is based on her father’s suicide, her PhD thesis and her current journey around Europe which she chronicles to some extent in her blog. Within her thesis she analyses the award winning novel about the Bhopal disaster, Animals People (2007) by Indra Sinha, including visiting Bhopal to volunteer at Sambhavna clinic and to conduct research. In the novel the narrator makes several references to insects i.e “Listen, how quiet”.. “No bird song. No hoppers in the grass. No bee hum. Insects can’t survive here” “There are no insects in paradise,” says Farouq.. “Don`t see why not. If they have flowers and birds in paradise why not ants? Isn`t there room?” (208)
This project is created in partnerschip with Bhopal Medical Appeal (BMA), a Uk charity which supports survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster. The chaity funds two clinics in Bhopal which give free medical care to disaster survivors and those impacted since by the ongoing contaminations. The author Indra Sinha was a cofounder of the charity which was established in 1994 following his hugely successful appeals in the broadshit British Press.
On her trip Elana Neil seeks out the company of smaller and usually unwelcome fellow earthlings, insects. She started the 70 day trip and the blog to celebrate her father`s 70 years on this planet, during which he was: an organic farmer in the Alps, an inspiring host for people from all over the world, a visionary, and an avid environmentalist. He also struggled with mental illness which resulted in suicide.
Mental illness, suicide and their correlations with insects, which are regarded as pests in mainstream society, are central to her work. It conveys discomfort, disgust and uneasy emotions. At the same time Elana demonstrates how insects are worthy, necessary and, despite it all, beautiful. Insects are not “charismatic megafauna” but still a vital element of our ecosystems. Neither the sensationalism of “megafauna” nor the stereotypically beautiful, sentimental or kitsch objects are central to her work. Instead, Elana chooses to focus on what others perceive as the disgusting and revolting. Her work is displayed in areas that are usually reserved for attractions and joyful experiences such as city centres, churches, beaches or museums amongst others. Her photographs and short stories capture peculiar moments. Zooming in and out – visually/physically and intellectually/mentally, shifting between the urban and the natural, if you want to separate these concepts. Can you at all?
Her approach is primarily and deliberately humorous and involves: interpreting and reinterpreting ideas; a shifting of scales and perspectives; and a blurring of boundaries. Her work is reminiscent of Kafka`s The Metamorphosis, as well as other creative human-insect explorations. Elana’s quest is to see how the urban lives of insects and their perception may correlate with the lives of humans in general and particularly those who are affected by mental illness.
She also explores suicide on a different level. In addition to focusing on the individual, Elana looks at the suicide of humankind and how humans can act like ferocious insects that destroy everything in their reach. Within that framework she also talks about species extinction, by which insects are also affected. We are becoming acutely aware of their importance through their decline en masse. Bees are a great example of this as without their existence, humans cannot survive either.
Elana`s and Elena`s paths first crossed at college in the United States in 2005. They have stayed in touch since and are now collaborating on this as they wanted to do a project on insects that focuses on shifting perspectives. They had their first exhibition last month in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Elena is an established conceptual artist and has had several exhibitons. She lives and works in Perm, Russia. She uses metal office and construction staples as her preferred material and works in the media of video and installation/object. She took part in several group shows including the parallel program of Moscow International Biennale of Young Art, 2014, and Garage Triennale of the contemporary art in Russia, 2017. The themes that she turns to are the body, the city and urban aesthetics.
Viv Iana lives in Brighton and will contribute one of her canvasses called "beak".
Elana: https://elana38.wixsite.com/clean
Elena: http://slobtseva.tumblr.com/
Viv Instagram: viv_iana06
Thank you to all who made it to our exhibition in St. Petersburg, it was a great pleasure to spend time with you! Looking forward to our next exhibition in Brighton.