Central—Reservation is pleased to present Wouldn't A Title Just Make It Worse? an exhibition and associated events taking place over four consecutive weekends in April & May 2010. The project draws on the ideas of artist and composer John Cage, considering presence in absence and examining the spaces inbetween and left behind. The works in this exhibition make visible the invisible, show us the something in nothing and create something by taking away.
The title of the project is taken from a collection of short stories by Gordon Lish, the editor of American short story writer Raymond Carver, and refers to the recent debate over Carver’s recently published un-edited work. The newly published stories make clear that the blunt, mid-air endings dependant on silence and suggestion that Carver was know for, were in fact composed by Lish, who substantially altered the work in the editing process.
The exhibition will include an international selection of artists, and present works that respond to the exhibitions theme, including video works, sculpture and interventions. "98m" (the height of the Campanelie, San Marco, Venice) (2005) by Elizabeth McAlpine focuses on the materiality of film and releases the celluloid from its spool to express its sculptural qualities. For Graham Gussin’s Unseen film (2001), the artists’ intervention in an undisclosed local cinema, coinciding with the opening night of the show, takes a film experience away from an audience.
Emerging artist Edward Tucker reveals hidden spaces in Corners (2008), illuminating the unused and overlooked; and in Ancient Darkness TV (2009), Katie Paterson presents a recording of a transmission on New York television station, revealing darkness from the furthest point of the observed universe, 13.2 billion years ago, shortly after the Big Bang and before Earth existed.
The DVD of Philippe Parreno’s film The Boy from Mars (2005) de-oxidises 48 hours after it is removed from the sleeve - destroying the work in the process of presenting it. Carey Young’s Gap Fillers (2001) - a found object from a call centre – is a whiteboard of suggested phrases for filling in dead space during telesales calls, and text pieces by Hannah Rickards exist unframed and out of context - language in a purely visual and suggestive form. The project will also incorporate a number of events including a major new piano performance by Stephen Cornford commissioned especially for the project.
Wouldn't A Title Just Make It Worse? is the first major group exhibition of national artists’ work to be held in Central—Reservation, a new project space in Bristol, UK dedicated to the support, production and presentation of contemporary visual arts.
Preview 23 April, 6 – 9pm
Events Programme
1 May, performance starts 8pm, doors open 7.30pm - Untitled Performance for 9 Pianos, a new commission by Stephen Cornford. Tickets £2 in advance (Here Shop), £3 on the door. Visit Scrawn for more information.
15 May, 9pm - Silent disco
Film Screenings
4 May, 8pm - The Gleaners and I (2000) by Agnes Varda
11 May, 8pm - Short Cuts (1993) by Robert Altman
Wouldn't A Title Just Make It Worse? is curated by Lucy Badrocke and Jane Porter.
Central-Reservation has been established by Lucy Drane, Hannah James and Jane Porter, an independent group, each working within key arts organisations in the city. The project has been developed through their involvement with the Spike Island Associates Programme and a shared interest in realising a dynamic new project in Bristol. For more information visit centralreservationuk.wordpress.com
Central—Reservation
15-19 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3PY
Open Saturdays and Sundays + bank holidays, 12-5pm. Free admission.
Central—Reservation is funded by Arts Council England, Bristol City Council and the Spike Island Associate scheme and supported by Mickleburgh Musical Instruments. WATJMIW is also supported by Arnolfini.
For further information, please contact Lucy Badrocke (07855 822357) or Jane Porter (07887 838184) or email centralreservationuk@gmail.com
