#TodosSomosHonolulu

LABOR is pleased to present the exhibition #TodosSomosHonolulu, a nod to the article published in Quartz magazine on July 8th, 2020. This article accurately describes the Ballardian scenario of uncertainty and vulnerability in which we have been immersed since the health crisis of covid-19 erupted globally.

“Joe Biden and China stuck up for the World Health Organization. If elected in November, the Democratic presidential candidate said he would reverse the Trump administration’s decision this week to withdraw from the public health body, while China’s foreign ministry urged the international community to step up its support. Meanwhile, Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro tested positive, Dubai reopened, Melbourne shut down again, Bali is praying over it, Russia dug a trench, and Honolulu isn’t sure what to do.”

(Quartz Daily Brief Editorial, July 8th, 2020)

Our intention with this exhibition has been, from the start, to seize the moment of this forced-upon pause and enjoy every aspect of what we do, and what defines us. Both, the artists and ourselves, had to face a world where planning became impossible, art fairs were cancelled, and the amount of travels became minimized.

If this lockdown raised our awareness to thank and enjoy the simple fact of being alive, we also felt that the work place we share with the public had to be able to provide a safe space for all. Thus, we unified the interior space of the gallery with the garden, creating a single area of exhibition that resembles a great open-air pavilion. With no aesthetic or theoretical pretensions, this space offers itself as a place to breathe and enjoy.

Exhibition view

#TodosSomosHonolulu, includes a selection of new and recent works by Jill Magid, Héctor Zamora, Pablo Vargas Lugo, Jorge Satorre, Irene Kopelman, Etienne Chambaud, Pedro Reyes, Guillaume Leblon, Antonio Vega Macotela, Roger White, Nicholas Mangan, Santiago Sierra, Beatriz Zamora, Erick Beltrán and Jerónimo Elespe. This selection is based on all the reflections that came to us during our time of lockdown.

As we enter the exhibition space, we will first notice Fractal Zoo by Etienne Chambaud, a self-supporting structure with no fixed shape. The sculpture rises prominently from the ground, composed of abandoned and forgotten bronze human figures that are traversed by industrial beams. This massive, yet frail structure was built as a fall arrest between the inner and the outer space, laying empty with only human presence passing through.

Next to it, we see Container (III), a painting by Roger White that alludes to the way in which our production and consumption of plastic materials has dramatically multiplied with the arrival of the pandemic, leading to disastrous consequences for the environment.

At the far end of the room we see Antonio Vega Macotela’s imposing Burning Landscape VII. This piece is characterized by the interwoven codified data that reveals the names of two thousand supposed tax evaders found after the major bank filtration of the Lagarde and Falciani lists.

Lastly in our garden, we find Cyclops by Pedro Reyes, a mythological creature that, being one of the very first beings of the universe, observes us mockingly with its only eye.

During the assembly of this exhibition, we received another article from the Quartz editorial… 2020 truly becomes the gift that keeps on giving:

“Europe is back in defensive mode. Fighting a new surge in coronavirus cases, France will restrict the opening hours of bars and restaurants, Austria banned aprés-ski parties, further lockdown measures are expected in Madrid, and students in Scotland have been asked to stay away from the pub. Good luck with that last one!”

(Quartz Daily Brief Editorial, September 25th, 2020)