Tuesday 23 November 2010

Black Rat Projects present "Small Acts of Resistance"


4th November – Tuesday 30th November 2010

Vibrant, lively, and even a little surreal are a few ways to describe the latest pieces by six worldwide artists at the Black Rat Projects' Gallery. Focusing upon the struggles within society, the exhibition's artists have 'urbanised' fine art, making each piece truly innovative. Through a diverse range of mediums, each artist encourages viewers to take a second look and uncover the varying portrayals of social resistance in each piece.

One artist, Matt Small, uses his art to reflect everyday native people in a vivid and powerful way. The size of his sculptures draws you in, but it is the way Small represents a nation in such a noble way which is most captivating. Featuring alongside Small is New York artist Swoon whose enormous installation of a disaster on mixed media adds a different dimension to the exhibition. The image of the small boy featured in Swoon's piece catches the observer's eye, and helps highlight the enormity of the disaster surrounding him.

Other artists involved in the 'Small Acts of Resistance' exhibition include Peter Kennard, whose love for photomontage speaks for a new era of social struggle. His collaborative project with Tarek Salhany focuses on an obscure layering composition based upon a newspaper surface, giving the black and white portraits a hidden emotion which as viewers we try to uncover.
Danish artist Armstock's simple yet profound drawings also depict this sense of hidden emotion and resistance. As if the artist is one step ahead of us as viewers, the rough charcoal conveys the medium while allowing an observer to try to uncover and envisage the scene more vividly. The central focus of Armstock's work is interaction; between the work and the viewer, and between tension and conflict, encapsulating the theme of social struggles.

Know Hope is an Israeli artist whose work pieces together a combination of white birds, white flags and raindrops. His focus is on producing a kind of non-linear narrative in his work to establish a connection between art and the social environment it is created within. This direct connection between art and social environment is also dealt with by DotMasters who in a sense expose humankind by using their work to confront the prominence of vandalism in society. A selection of scenes from CCTV frames illustrates the violence occurring in current society, something which shocks viewers but also acts to inspire resistance and encourage more creative talent on the street.



Photography by Black Rat Project Press Office




'@earth/civilians' by Peter Kennard with Tarek Salhany



'Feebled (With Humbled Hearts But Unable Limbs)' by Know Hope

'Saved Chewe' by Matt Small




'Haiti' by Swoon

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