exhibition

Oh Deborah!  1*

Artists Leigh Clarke, Julian Wakelin, Ross Hansen, Vibeke Luther, Neil Gall, David Leapman, Claude Heath, Roger Kelly, Vincent Hawkins, Michael Samuels, Axel Antas, Jason Brooks, Mark Harris, Bob Matthews, Andrea Medjesi-Jones, Karl Bielik, Germaine Hampton, Annabelle Dalby

01.Dec.07 - 13.Jan.08
Wed-Sun 12-6 or by appt; first Thursday 12-9

Private View, 30.Nov.07, 6:30-8:30 pm
Artist Talk, 06.Dec.07, 7pm - 8pm

Contemporary Art Projects
20 Rivington St
London EC2A 3DU
020 7739 1743
info@caprojects.com
www.commentart.com/gallery/Contemporary_Art_Projects
Tube Old Street, Liverpool Street, Shoreditch / Hoxton

Oh, Deborah! brings together a selection of artists who have worked closely during the past seven years in the SPACE studio complex Deborah House in Hackney.* Exploring the artistic dialogues, influences, and conversations that have occurred over the years, the exhibition reveals the special nature of artistic relationships and the communities that have formed within the East London art scene. Peeling back the layers of historical legacy, Oh Deborah! exposes the deep interactions of artists who have worked in the building.

In this exhibition, each artist was asked to produce a group of sentences documenting conversations, observations, comments and exchanges that have occurred during their time in the building with and about their studio neighbours. These sentences are revealed via colour- coded text under each artwork and, at times, divulge unusual and unexpected references.

Above the text, each artist has selected and submitted a significant work in response to the nature of the exhibition. This marriage of text and image highlights life in an urban environment; where textual relationships replace human interactions, where thoughts, words and ideas are documented through both means of visual imagery and text resulting in a complex and unique relationship. Oh Deborah! reveals the relationships between artists in what is a unique and important community in East London and pushes the boundaries of art as text, and text as art.

Urvesh Patel, a studio member and graphic designer has kindly designed the exhibition text for the show.

*As an arts and educational charity, SPACE provides artists with over sixteen communal studios located around East London. Founded in 1968, SPACE founders Bridget Riley, Peter Sedgley and Peter Townsend have given artists affordable studio space in London and the opportunity to engage in debates and share ideas. The solidarity of this artistic society has inspired new developments in ideas and working methodologies that have generated exhibitions both nationally and internationally.