The Senior Curator of Perth Institute Of Contemporary Arts (PICA), Eugenio Viola, has programmed two concurrent and very different solo exhibitions at the venue.
While these exhibitions are on show, a public programme of events will be underway featuring the two artists – Amalia Pica and Khaled Sabsabi – allowing members of the public to gain a better insight into their work.
You'll be able to catch Amalia on 1 August in PICA's Performance Space for 'An Illustrated Lecture', celebrate the work at the Opening Night Party in the Galleries on 3 August, or witness Khaled In Conversation with Eugenio on 4 August.
Below, Eugenio Viola writes about each of the two exhibitions on display until October.
KHALED SABSABI
A self portrait
A self portrait is the most significant survey exhibition ever organized by internationally acclaimed, Lebanese born and Australian based Khaled Sabsabi, with a new piece especially conceived for the show, as well as several never exhibited before.
Following the outbreak of civil war in Lebanon (1975-1990), Sabsabi migrated with his family to Australia in 1978. It is probably for this reason that his practice always deals with rationales and complexities of nationhood, identity and change, involving multiple mediums, geographical borders and cultures. He explores in his committed work the complexities of place, displacement, identity and ideological differences associated with migrant experiences and marginalization.
This exhibition is curated by Eugenio Viola.
Khaled Sabsabi - Corner
AMALIA PICA
please open hurry
Born during Argentina’s dictatorship and so-called “Dirty War”, Amalia Pica has long been interested in the relationship between form and politics, and between history and representation. Focusing on communication and the representation of language, politics and the creative potential of our social spaces, her eclectic practice implies a variety of different media, including sculpture, photography, installation, video and performance.
The project she is presenting at PICA is a continuation of this longstanding interest, where she investigates inter-species methods of communication between apes and humans.
This exhibition is curated at PICA by Eugenio Viola, and developed in partnership with The Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, and The Power Plant, Toronto, with the generous support of the Keir Foundation.
