Ursula Nistrup

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Ursula Nistrup presents a brand new work entitled On the moods of sound over the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey. The sound work is produced for the exhibition space Phonebox at the artist-run gallery IMO. Phonebox is located in a former phone cabin, which will serve as an intimate exhibition space with room for only one person at a time. Here the public is invited to experience the sound work On the moods of sound over the Bosphorus Strait Istandbul, Turkey from January 29 – February 10.

Taking photography and architecture as a starting point, Ursula Nistrup examines the relationship between space and spatial representations, in particular the relationship between sound and space. Her new work On the moods of sound over the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey is based on recordings of horn from ships that daily maneuver the Bosphorus Strait. The multiplicity and tonality of the horns evoke the sound from the orchestra pit in a concert hall before the beginning of the concert. The motif of a unique and unintended “concert” emerges and with it the question of the relation between space and listener. Ursula Nistrup has studied at Glasgow School of Art (MFA) and CalArts.

Ursula Nistrup’s work is the second in a series of sound-based works presented in Phonebox at IMO in the first half of 2010. The series is titled Sounds Up Close #1-12 and is curated by Kristoffer Akselbo and Rune Søchting. It is the intention to present a number of important artists who work with sound as a medium. The different pieces reflect a broad variety of approaches to the work with sound as medium. Over a period of six months a total of twelve pieces will be presented, each for a fortnight. Some of the up-coming artists in Phonebox are Alejandra and Aeron (ES/US),  Ultra-red (US) and Jio Shimizu (JP).

Phonebox has earlier served as a phone cabin for the employees at Carlsberg. During the next six months the space, which is acoustically isolated, will function as a unique frame for display and reception of sound-based works. Moreover, the space itself will play an important role in the conceptions of many of the presented works.

IMO

Konstantin Bojanov//Fears, Obsessions, and Dedications

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Otero Plassart is pleased to present Bulgarian artist Konstantin Bojanov’s debut LosAngeles exhibition: Fears, Obsessions, and Dedications.

For this showcase Bojanov created ten new works that explore the idea of fragility, decay, and mortality through a medium of industrialized objects, handcrafted metals, and other materials that embody permanence: bronze, brass, stainless steel, glass, marble, and gold.

In What is On The Dinner Menu James Lee Byars? Bojanov presents three menacing gold-plated objects: a bone mallet, a bone saw and a vaginal speculum, placed in red-chromed platters that sit on a stainless steel table. What Teeth are You Wearing Mr. James Lee Byars? shows sixteen gilded casts of decaying human teeth displayed on a mirrored pedestal.

For Fear of Falling and Fear Of Drowning, Bojanov incorporates unlikely elements: a hand-polished Harley Davidson engine and a taxidermist’s coyote are joined to iconic symbols of minimalism such as mirrored cubes.

In this exhibition Bojanov expands on his previous works, more specifically his long-standing fascination of pivotal 20th century artists James Lee Byars, Yves Klein, Constantin Brancusi, and Marcel Duchamp. However, he does not attempt to reproduce nor quote these artists. Rather, because they have melded with Bojanov’s subconscious of artistic thought, they have become a part of the fictional narrative of the show.

Bojanov was born in 1968 in Bulgaria, and currently lives and works in New York. His work has been exhibited at various international institutions that include Haunch of Venison in Zurich, the Shanghai Contemporary in China, and Eli Bank Gallery in Bulgaria, in addition to the Art Today Association Center for Contemporary Art in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Bojanov is also an accomplished filmmaker with his 2001directorial debut in the short film, Lemon is Lemon.  His films have received numerous awards and have been screened in over 40 international film festivals.  He is currently working with Shilo Films on his first feature film, Avé.


Otero Plassart