The Out of House exhibition seeks to raise the display of works of art from categorised and catalogued objects to elements that shift with the intention and interaction of space. In this context, where exhibitions and exhibition spaces primarily focus on the artworks, and the surrounding spaces are void of any distraction, Out of House implies that the spaces occupied by works of art possess their own inherent associations and histories which reflect upon the art.
In her catalogue essay, the Out of House curator Jenna Baldock describes the squeaky wooden floorboards of the Metro Arts exhibition space, with its brick framework and well-worn endless staircase. For Baldock, these aspects of the space are embedded with association, and I can confirm that for Brisbane locals who frequent Brisbane’s unique art scene, the Metro Arts space embodies an atmosphere of history, with the squeaky floorboards evidence of a long timeline of graduate art exhibitions, local arts festivals, and constant exposure to local artists.
In essence, Metro Arts is a space that both houses and exhibits products of culture, but has an atmosphere so lacking in pretention that the art, much like the space, is accessible by all who experience it.
In essence, it is the situation in which art works are placed that manipulates the viewers’ perceptions and interpretations, just as much as the intention of the works themselves. While it is obvious that the white walls of Metro Arts are not part of the exhibition, they are used in a way that does not just enclose the art works, but holds them, supports them, and creates a path for the viewer to travel throughout the exhibition, journeying both in front of and around the various works in a position of active participant rather than mere observer.
The art works, in turn, attract and repel the participants, acting as curious flashbacks such as Pirrin Francis’ Nighttime recollections (you, me, her) (2013), or Benjamin Crowley’s overflowing tower of empty rum cans in Untitled (2013), reminiscent of Damien Hirst’s ashtray, acting as evidence of vice, temptation, and indulgence. Therefore, Out of House is far more than a collection of art, but rather a marker of memory, history, and the sites that inspire our own experiences.
Out of House
Exhibition curated by Jenna Baldock
Featuring works by Jake Sun, Yannick Blattner, Alrey Batol, Pirrin Francis and Benjamin Crowley
Metro Arts, Brisbane
17 July – 3 August
