Join us to celebrate the first ‘non-survey’ of work by the iconic artist Marcia Farquhar.
Marcia’s work in performance, installation and object-making is conceptual in nature; precariously balanced between the prescribed and the unpredictable – socially open, broadly embracing of circumstance, and resolutely focused in the live and unrepeatable moment.
Her experimental site-specific works have been staged and exhibited internationally in museums and galleries, as well as in lecture theatres, kitchen showrooms, hotels, pubs, parks and leisure centres.
Marcia’s work continues to make frequent and subversive use of familiar cultural forms; from TV cookery shows, pop-psychology, Punch and Judy, to the catwalk, the jukebox and the guided tour.
Difficuλt spans both galleries and outdoor spaces, presenting Marcia’s impressive career; past, present and future. Renowned works from Farquhar’s extensive ‘repertoire’ from the 1980s to now will be re-imagined, nestled alongside recent and new work created for the occasion.
Actions and performances will occur throughout the show, the artist will most certainly be present; appearing to show and tell as the tour guide of her own relics via spontaneous actions, situations, interruptions and habitations on Fridays and Sundays throughout the exhibition. See below for the programme schedule*.
The exhibition will premiere The Dogs’ Bolex, an ambitious new series of short videos commissioned by the artist in collaboration with 16 artist filmmakers, listed here in their running order:
Benedict Drew, Katherine Araniello, Larry Achiampong, Victoria Harwood and Lucy Newman, Ben Rivers, Gina Birch, Miyako Narita, Tracy Drew, Tom Chick, John Smith, Denna Cartamkhoob, Paul Kelly, Ruth Maclennan, Reynir Hutber, Tony Grisoni.
The Dog’s Bolex was developed by the artist following the 10th anniversary of her critically acclaimed 12 Shooters project from 2007, and is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Live Art Development Agency’s inaugural Art Hole Artists Award.
A public performance of Farquhar’s legendary Acts of Clothing will take place at our Dilston Grove gallery on Sunday 7 October at 4pm Other scheduled and spontaneous events will be announced throughout the run.
The exhibition will culminate in the burning of Marcia’s outsized rocking horse at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The Horse is a Noble Animal, originally commissioned for the 2010 Tatton Park Biennial, will be decommissioned and live-streamed at YSP at dusk, screened at CGP London within a special public closing event Burning Horse on Saturday 27 October from 3pm
Works, votives and stories will populate the spaces, fakeloric tales will be released from the ‘Farquive’ museum vitrines, totems all burned or drowned by now, lifted on and off the shelf, activated by Marcia in conversation with the gallery visitor, creating uniquely personal interactions for the duration.
Received Press:
*SOMETHINGS FOR THE WEEKENDS
During its run, Marcia Farquhar’s Diffikuλt could be experienced in the company of the artist on mostly Fridays & Sundays throughout the exhibition, where she will act as the tour guide of her own relics (excluding 28/30 Sept).
To view the archived schedule click here
Marcia Farquhar, Difficuλt, is generously supported by The Paul & Louise Cooke Endowment, Arts Council England, The Foyle Foundation and Southwark Council.
Marcia Farquhar, The Dogs Bolex (2018) is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Live Art Development Agency’s inaugural Art Hole Artists Award.
