TangentProjects is going to Venice with Invasive Alien Species

My London friend Karen Ay is taking a group show, Invasive Alien Species, to Venice this summer. The exhibition will coincide with the 2011 Venice Biennale and aggregate small works to create a larger site-specific installation.

Her collective, TangentProjects, has invited a group of English and other European artists to respond to the theme of Invasive Alien Species and invade the space, “coming up with unexpected artworks, which though perhaps small and inconspicuous in the sense of individual units of work, combine and compete to create a large dynamic, visually striking, site-specific installation.”

Dates and opening times: 1–5 June & 9–12 June 2011 12.00 – 17.00

also by appointment at other times in June 2011

Opening event: 4 June 6-9pm.  Venue: Via Garibaldi 1333, Castello, Venice

TangentProjects is an independent platform for collaboration and project development.
It was established in January 2008, TangentProjects “originated out of a collective desire to create an independent platform for collaboration and project development. Finding that they often crossed paths through a variety of situations and similar interests, three artists made the decision to join forces as a way of creating opportunities for presenting their and others' projects. Circumventing the structures of the mainstream gallery scene, we act as a starting point or trajectory for exploring and finding ways to bring ideas into being.”

In addition to being involved with TangentProjects, each of the artists, Karen Ay, Helene Kazan, Steve Smith, maintains their individual art practice. Karen Ay’s art practice focuses on the “subverting of various groupings and systems by using text, objects, maps and images as agencies of making connections and re interpreting them. By juxtaposing and manipulating those elements she attempts to order, contain, re-system and re-present them in various contexts.  Notions surrounding identity/legacy, accumulated histories, and sense of place are often themes in her work.” Image on left from her site. 

I have always admired Karen’s work and have written about it before. See: Great Upcoming London Sculpture Show and Champagne Army)