When I asked the artists, Cos Ahmet & Gary Finnegan, if they'd like to show their work for ‘We Are All Going To Die’, I also asked them to not show their work, in a sense. In response, they turned up at the gallery with two mugs. On those mugs were stills from their collaborative film. Stills from the film I asked them not to show. The reason being, that I didn't want any video works in this particular show.
I was really excited when they opened the box and produced the mugs. I felt that Cos and Gary were also happy, a bit giddy; and a fragrance of mischievous playfulness surrounded the action of making and revealing the mugs. A piece of novelty merchandise from a film. Nothing serious. A tongue in cheek moment.
But, underneath all that, I feel the mugs have a harmonious existence within the ideological and aesthetic fabric of the exhibition. I feel they are saying something. It's all indeed a novelty, until it becomes routine. I wonder if we collect items to signify our reluctance to let go and accept that such a moment is gone? Grasping, not with our hands but through objects. With each item, a jigsaw of distorted memory is constructed; an amalgamation of historical fragments consumes the now; always chasing the novelty and running from routine. Yet without realising, the chasing and the running becomes routine. And, just as the mugs are empty of liquid, the routine is empty of content.
For me, the mugs are emblematic of the conundrum of life; a life plagued with novelty yet empty of content. With that said, please don't assume one describes the mugs as such. While the mugs themselves are indeed designed to be a novelty in a sense, when observed, they become a vessel for broader consideration and questioning beyond their existence as a mug. A book that springs to mind is: The Beauty of Everyday Things by Soetsu Yangai. Thank you for the mugs!
‘We Are All Going To Die’, curated by Stephen Sheehan at Existential House, 26th August - 30th September 2022. The exhibition featured works by artists: Cos Ahmet, Jay Chesterman, Gary Finnegan, Leo Fitzmaurice, Tim Foxon, Jeffery Knopf, Rory Macbeth, Daniel Marsh, Joe Fletcher Orr, Amy Russell, Stephen Sheehan, Luke Skiffington.
Existential House is an independent, nomadic art gallery run by the artist, writer and curator Stephen Sheehan, that aims to facilitate challenging and experimental work. Existential House was previously located at Unit 1, Woodside Business Park in Birkenhead, Wirral. However, conceptually, Sheehan abandoned that space and is experimenting with the idea of a nomadic gallery that exists and operates outside the physicality of a confined space.
While operating within the unit, we offered artists space and support to challenge and push their own ideologies and practice to broaden the context of art making and the relationship ones art has within society. Existential House not only facilitated exhibitions but accommodated the running of educational programmes and openly worked with educational institutions to broaden the conceptual landscape within the field of Art and beyond. This is something we intend to continue doing.
All exhibitions ran for a three week period, as well as facilitating shorter exhibitions, one off performances or one day events. Existential house took a keen interest in works that explored the existential and posed questions towards the reality of existence.
Images: Banner depicting an installation view of ‘We Are All Going To Die’, curated by Stephen Sheehan; Installation and detail views of ‘Hello Russell I + II’, in situ, and detail video stills, used for the mugs, made in collaboration during their Masters Graduate Residency at Static Complex, Liverpool.