A Series of Schemes, Scheme four: Laundry/Bathroom
Works by Liliana Barbieri, Susan Knight, Sarina Lirosi, Wilma Tabacco
July 14 - August 5 2012, Exhibition opening event Saturday July 14th, 2-5pm
Background
In 2005 Liliana Barbieri, Susan Knight, Sarina Lirosi and Wilma Tabacco instigated the creation of a series of separate but interconnected bodies of collaboratively derived works, to be produced and exhibited over a number of years and at appropriate but different venues. Collectively titled Room: A Series of Schemes, the artists envisaged that each exhibited body of works would reference the nature and function of each room in a ‘typical’, domestic house.
The first group of works was exhibited in July – August, 2005 at Fortyfivedownstairs, in Melbourne. The exhibition titled Scheme One: Bedroom focussed on the intimate and private nature of the bedroom as a site of dreams and desires.
Scheme Two: Kitchen and Dining was exhibited at Linden as part of the Innovators 3 program running from 17 August to 23 September, 2007. The works presented here referenced the social intercourse and familial interaction associated with food preparation and dining.
Scheme Three: Living Room, was exhibited at the Counihan Gallery in Brunswick in November – December 2007. The objects, video works and installations made for this exhibition considered the cultural, historical and contemporary implications of the living room as a setting for a variety of relaxation and entertainment activities and as a showcase space.
Scheme Four: Laundry/Bathroom
Alchemical processes aimed at achieving hygiene, cleanliness and a particular desired physical appearance require a variety of performative activities and these are commonly enacted in the bathroom or laundry. Dressing, undressing, applying lotions, unguents, fragrances, selecting jewellery, brushing teeth, scrubbing skin, performing ablutions and looking at one’s reflection in the mirror characterise bathroom activities. Soaking, bleaching, washing, sorting and ironing clothes and bed linen are laundry activities. The presence of water, steam, fragrances, odours and (often) medical supplies, soaps, detergents, and cosmetics, linen, mirrors, adornments and mechanical devices are common laundry/bathroom contents.
This exhibition aims to represent some of the personalised activities, anxieties and neurosis often performed or experienced in the laundry and bathroom. The works of Liliana Barbieri, Susan Knight and Trevor Mein, Sarina Lirosi and Wilma Tabacco are an assemblage of ideas manifested through photographs, objects and ornaments that suggest performative cleansing rituals.
In 2005 Liliana Barbieri, Susan Knight, Sarina Lirosi and Wilma Tabacco instigated the creation of a series of separate but interconnected bodies of collaboratively derived works, to be produced and exhibited over a number of years and at appropriate but different venues. Collectively titled Room: A Series of Schemes, the artists envisaged that each exhibited body of works would reference the nature and function of each room in a ‘typical’, domestic house.
The first group of works was exhibited in July – August, 2005 at Fortyfivedownstairs, in Melbourne. The exhibition titled Scheme One: Bedroom focussed on the intimate and private nature of the bedroom as a site of dreams and desires.
Scheme Two: Kitchen and Dining was exhibited at Linden as part of the Innovators 3 program running from 17 August to 23 September, 2007. The works presented here referenced the social intercourse and familial interaction associated with food preparation and dining.
Scheme Three: Living Room, was exhibited at the Counihan Gallery in Brunswick in November – December 2007. The objects, video works and installations made for this exhibition considered the cultural, historical and contemporary implications of the living room as a setting for a variety of relaxation and entertainment activities and as a showcase space.
Scheme Four: Laundry/Bathroom
Alchemical processes aimed at achieving hygiene, cleanliness and a particular desired physical appearance require a variety of performative activities and these are commonly enacted in the bathroom or laundry. Dressing, undressing, applying lotions, unguents, fragrances, selecting jewellery, brushing teeth, scrubbing skin, performing ablutions and looking at one’s reflection in the mirror characterise bathroom activities. Soaking, bleaching, washing, sorting and ironing clothes and bed linen are laundry activities. The presence of water, steam, fragrances, odours and (often) medical supplies, soaps, detergents, and cosmetics, linen, mirrors, adornments and mechanical devices are common laundry/bathroom contents.
This exhibition aims to represent some of the personalised activities, anxieties and neurosis often performed or experienced in the laundry and bathroom. The works of Liliana Barbieri, Susan Knight and Trevor Mein, Sarina Lirosi and Wilma Tabacco are an assemblage of ideas manifested through photographs, objects and ornaments that suggest performative cleansing rituals.
Liliana Barbieri
Bathroom dialogues 2012 video still dimensions variable |
Liliana Barbieri
Cut 'n' Polish 2012 graphite on acrylic 25cm diameter |
Liliana Barbieri
Cut 'n' Polish 2012 graphite on acrylic dimensions variable |
Susan Knight
Irony (detail), 2012 newspaper 22 x 14 cm |
Sarina Lirosi
From the Best Before 2011 series used soap, polaroid film, satin, polyester, wood, glass 15 x 15 cm |
Sarina Lirosi
From the Best Before 2011 series used soap, polaroid film, satin, polyester, wood, glass 15 x 15 cm |
Sarina Lirosi
From the Best Before 2011 series used soap, polaroid film, satin, polyester, wood, glass 15 x 15 cm |
Sarina Lirosi
From the Stamford Plaza Collection July 12 - August 5 2011, 2012 used soaps, frame, glass 50 x 50cm |
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Wilma Tabacco
FeAu, 2012
composition foil on retrieved objects
various dimensions
FeAu, 2012
composition foil on retrieved objects
various dimensions
Scheme 4: Laundry/Bathroom
Installation views
Langford120, 2012
Installation views
Langford120, 2012
