Heart of Darkness

Mentor for the exchange project between Sculpture Department, Royal College of Arts and fine arts from Villa Arson.

Compilation of a day of excursions, reflecting upon the concept of Uncertainty.

 

Heart of Darkness

A Research Development Residency

The title of the project is taken from the famous novel of Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, where the story centres on an Englishman who takes a foreign assignment from a Belgian trading company as a river-boat captain in Africa. Heart of Darkness exposes the dark side of European colonization while exploring the three levels of darkness that the protagonist, Marlow, encounters: the darkness of the Congo wilderness, the darkness of the Europeans’ cruel treatment of the African natives, and the unfathomable darkness within every human being for committing heinous acts of evil. The project draws parallels to the constellation of the story by Joseph Conrad in a way in which the participants of the project are encouraged to explore extreme sensualities regarding human nature within a togetherness of their peers. The project suffices an individual reflection while seeking to form a common ground for production in the light of those explorations.

The project is planned to take place in London as a residency for 8 artists focussing on research, selected from new graduates of both Colleges. The residency will then be followed by an exhibition in 2013 that emerges as a collective reflection on the encounters in London, which will manifest itself also as a publication funded by Villa Arson. The selection of the residency artists will be made by their mentors. During the week-long residency in London, the artists are scheduled to meet with international curators and artists from London.

The aim of the project is to bring together two groups of young artists from two countries who are recent graduates seeking for their place in the art world. The project is structured to function as a series of encounters between the students, the participating mentors and the associated encounters. The aim of the project is to provide a space of contemplation to the students at the immediate aftermath of their studies while speculating on various modes of production they might face following.

 

With kind support from

 

Image documentation