oculto en una infinidad de pequeñas cosa
concealed in an infinity of little things
Aideen Barry
Solo Exhibition
Curated by Ximena Moreno
Galeria Concreta
Matucana 100
Santiago de Chile
Chile
..concealed in an infinity of little things, to quote the leading Chilean feminist surrealist, Maria Luisa Bombal, is the inspiration for Irish artist Aideen Barry’s premier solo exhibition of multidisciplinary works, presented in Galeria Concreta, Matucana 100. Barry draws on the writers depiction of patriarchal oppression, in the short story of La historia de María Griselda/The Story of María Griselda (1946), in her moving image works inspired by her own country’s historical and contemporary attitudes to women and the female body. The artist uses her own image, her own body, in her moving image works to place herself in the most absurd scenarios to achieve the optical illusion of movement and the spectacular. Referencing the Irish Constitution, article 41.2.1, enshrining “A woman’s place is in the home”, Barry’s protagonists in Not to be Known (2015), Possession (2011) and Enshrined (2016), screened in three areas of the Gallery, present the artist in hilarious and simultaneously disturbing scenarios constructed out of laborious stop-motion animated works. Barry directs, shoots, performs, edits and audio scores the work herself, taking on several roles, often simultaneously, so concealed in her infinity of little things, is an extraordinary commitment to creation of works charged with humour, horror, and socio-political commentary on gender roles ascribed to women in Ireland, Chile and in the contemporary world. Barr's use of humour as a way of disarming the viewer is Beckett-ian in the approach to slapstick and bleakness, a kind of "No pain No gain" mantra, there is a determination in her work to overcome the impossible, I can't go on, I'll go on, that almost certainly plays on repeat in her sub-conscious.
Over the course of the show Barry will give a lecture on her presented practise and past works at Matucana 100 on Friday the 24th of November at 20hrs and will take up a temporary professor fellowship at the prestigious Universidad de Santiago from November to December 2018. This show marks the first ever solo presentation of work by the artist in Chile and in South America.
The artist will also be showing work as a part of CHACO Art Fair's VIP Programme running concurrently with the programme and Galeria Concreta.
The show is graciously funded by the Irish Government, through a Culture Ireland Award.
La artista irlandesa Aideen Barry nombra a su exposición con una cita de la novelista chilena, María Luisa Bombal, escritora feminista y surrealista, que es la inspiración principal de esta muestra de imágenes en movimiento y textos. La muestra, consta de una serie de obras de neón especialmente creadas para la Galería, que develan el interés de la artista por la literatura, la filosofía y la poesía. También presenta las obras Not to Known (2015), Possession (2011) y Enshrined (2016), laboriosas animaciones en stop-motion que hacen referencia de modo absurdo, hilarante e inquietante al artículo de la Constitución irlandesa que consagra que “el lugar de una mujer está en el hogar”. A lo largo del programa, Barry dará una conferencia sobre su práctica presentada y trabajos anteriores en Matucana 100 el viernes 24 de noviembre a las 20 horas. Durante su permanencia en Chile, la artista irlandesa dará una charla sobre su trabajo, y tomará una beca de profesor temporal en la Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, entre noviembre y diciembre de 2018. Esta es la primera presentación individual de la artista en Sudamérica. El proyecto está financiado por el Gobierno irlandés.
