Lisson Gallery Group Show Explores Matter as Active Agent
At Lisson Gallery, 'Matter as Actor' showcases the work of 14 global artists across two locations in London. This exhibition delves into the role of various materials—such as clay, metal, rock, pigment, plastic, and organic matter—as dynamic entities within human and non-human interactions. In San Juan, Allora & Calzadilla manipulate iron filings using electromagnetism. Dana Awartani repairs silk with herbs connected to violence against Arab structures. Revital Cohen & Tuur Van Balen recover metals from hard drives, while D Harding utilizes ochre sourced from Aboriginal territories. Irmel Kamp captures images of zinc-covered buildings. Syowia Kyambi’s sisal costume reflects on colonial plantations. Richard Long revisits a mural from 1989, and Otobong Nkanga engages with vermiculite and salt. Yelena Popova creates mausoleum tapestries, Lucy Raven showcases shadowgrams from a New Mexico ballistics site, Zhan Wang displays stainless-steel replicas, and Feifei Zhou traces toxic routes in Jakarta. The exhibition will continue until a specified date.
Key facts
- Group exhibition at Lisson Gallery, London
- 14 artists included: Allora & Calzadilla, Dana Awartani, Revital Cohen & Tuur Van Balen, D Harding, Irmel Kamp, Syowia Kyambi, Richard Long, Otobong Nkanga, Yelena Popova, Lucy Raven, Zhan Wang, Feifei Zhou
- Allora & Calzadilla use electromagnetism and iron filings on canvas
- Dana Awartani uses naturally dyed silk with medicinal herbs and darning technique
- Revital Cohen & Tuur Van Balen reverse hard-drive manufacture to extract metals
- D Harding uses ochre from Aboriginal lands in Queensland
- Irmel Kamp photographs zinc-clad buildings in villages between Aachen and Liège
- Syowia Kyambi shows sisal costume woven using traditional Kenyan method
- Richard Long creates new temporary mural for courtyard
- Otobong Nkanga presents 'Solid Maneuvers' with vermiculite, salt, heavy mineral sands, shredded copper
- Yelena Popova designs tapestries for mausoleums around Magnox reactor cores
- Lucy Raven presents silver-gelatin shadowgrams from explosive events in New Mexico
- Zhan Wang shows stainless-steel scholar's rocks and ink paintings
- Feifei Zhou maps toxic pathways of green mussels in Jakarta with Kirsten Keller
- Exhibition spans both Lisson Gallery London spaces
Entities
Artists
- Allora & Calzadilla
- Dana Awartani
- Revital Cohen
- Tuur Van Balen
- D Harding
- Irmel Kamp
- Syowia Kyambi
- Richard Long
- Otobong Nkanga
- Yelena Popova
- Lucy Raven
- Zhan Wang
- Feifei Zhou
- Kirsten Keller
Institutions
- Lisson Gallery
- Centre Pompidou
- US Departments of Defense and Energy
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- San Juan
- Puerto Rico
- Kerala
- India
- Central Queensland
- Australia
- Ghungalu
- Bidjara
- Aachen
- Germany
- Liège
- Belgium
- Kelmis
- German-Belgian border
- Namibia
- New Mexico
- United States
- Socorro
- Jakarta
- Indonesia