The Curse of Knowledge
The title of the exhibition, The Curse of Knowledge, is borrowed from a cognitive disposition where everything that a person knows on a particular subject clouds their description or explanation when attempting to relate this to someone else. A ‘problem’ in the art world is that we as artists create works that are based on the knowledge of other artists, art history, ideas and theories. Our practice is an accumulation of all this primary and secondary research, whether consciously or subconsciously. We forget that other people may not have the same prior knowledge or even think and approach things in the same way; we are not aware of our blind spots and become blind to the viewpoints of others.
In the creation of this exhibition the group of artists have met through Zoom to discuss each individual's process of working. What has been interesting in bringing together these artists is how it has made us question our own practices: why is it we do what we do and in this way? What is it we decide to ‘show’ as artists? What do we decide is too personal and private? And from this, where do our boundaries stand on what we see as presentable art?
Why is it that we feel the need to create sketches, drawings, small tests, but then leave these behind in the corner of our studio and do not see that they too are a part of our artistic practice? Is there a platform for showing these, and if so, how?
Works by Joel Danielsson, Dick Hedlund, Martin Holm, Anton Josephson, Laleh Kazemi and Hannah McDonald
Upper Hand, Göteborg
16/5-7/6/20
