Beatrice Gibson's Dream Gossip at Ordet, Milan

Beatrice Gibson's inaugural solo exhibition in Italy, titled 'Dream Gossip,' is currently being showcased at Ordet in Milan until 15 February. The French-British artist and filmmaker draws inspiration for her title from Alice Notley's 'Dream Gossip' column, which appeared in the magazine Scarlet, co-edited by Douglas Oliver in the early 1990s. The exhibition includes three films: 'Dreaming Alcestis' (2022), 'Deux Soeurs Qui Ne Sont Pas Soeurs' (2019), and 'Dear Barbara, Bette and Nina' (2020). The highlight is 'Dreaming Alcestis,' projected onto a 'Hologauze' screen, featuring Gibson and co-director Nick Gordon asleep, alongside their children and a pet snake. The soundscape combines voices, drums, and a motorbike engine, while Gibson’s voiceover invokes Alcestis, a Greek princess who made the ultimate sacrifice. Themes of sacrifice, migration, and the intersection of domesticity and productivity are explored. 'Dear Barbara, Bette and Nina' pays homage to feminist filmmakers Barbara Loden, Bette Gordon, and Nina Menkes, while 'Deux Soeurs…' employs kitsch imagery to delve into female solidarity. The gallery's black walls, illuminated solely by video lighting, enhance the dreamlike quality of the exhibition.