Guest Book
A project by Isabelle Sully discussing and including the work of Hany Armanious, Grace Cossington Smith, Martin Creed, Juan Davila, Normana Wight and others
August 19 – September 17, 2016
West Space, Melbourne
In an inner city gallery an exhibition called Guest Book is staged. It includes the work of three prominent artists, a reproduction of a work perhaps unreachable and a scattering of ephemera to complete the puzzle. It seems that an interest in criticism is present here, though a specific form—that being negative reviews of artworks in mainstream press. In the role of the reviewer that I take up momentarily today, I can’t help but become self-reflexive. I ask myself, what is the role of criticism? Who has the authority to speak it, and when? What are the conditions for the reception of a work of art? Even when considering these questions, the answers evade me. This ability of art to refute easy categorisation is a practice of thinking to be defended. Yet of course, this practice is also simultaneously seen as a self-made threat to the discipline’s resources—especially those provided by the state. If like me, you’re wondering where to go from here, I recommend having a look for yourself. Though I must warn you, one work in particular might leave you in the dark. Guest Book is a project by Isabelle Sully that discusses the work of Hany Armanious, Grace Cossington Smith, Martin Creed, Juan Davila and Normana Wight. The exhibition will be on show until September 17, and is accessible via the lift or staircase to the right of the building’s entrance.
Photos by Christo Crocker
