Exhibition Review: ALCHEMIC BODY | FIRE . AIR . WATER . EARTH
London | November 04 – 25, 2021
ArtFix

ITSLIQUID Group, in collaboration with YMX Arts, is delighted to share the great success of the opening of ALCHEMIC BODY 2021, which took place in London, at ArtFix from November 04 to November 25, 2021, counting the participation of 30 artists, coming from more than 15 different countries.

Click here to read more about the press release
Click here to see the photo full reportage

ALCHEMIC BODY | FIRE . AIR . WATER . EARTH 2021 is an exhibition of contemporary art focused on the concept of transformation, starting from the alchemical processes, that aim to purify the nature elements: earth, air, water and fire. The alchemists, recognized as the ancestors of modern chemists, worked to discover the way the world is made and to modify its structure. The mysterious practise of alchemy always influenced art and artists from all the centuries. Alchemists and artists are fascinated by the concept of transformation and they both work to discover and create new possible worlds.

The human body is a changing system that connects us with other bodies and spaces to perceive the surrounding reality; a strong communication system with its own language and infinite ways of expression.

Audrey Beharie-McGee, a British self-taught artist currently located in the USA, is very curious about transformation processes, and for this reason, she explores new forms of expression by blending her two main passions: painting and photography. Through this particular technique, she can mix her different personalities to soar the imagination and make it run free. The principle aim of Bernard Pineau is to show that painting offers everyone the possibility of multiple interpretations and layering because the painters put on the canvas what they need to express. Pineau, in particular, tries to express a sense of the sacred that is simple, intimate, accessible, personal. Not a sacred monumental or imposing as in previous eras, but a sacred human, present in all of us: one of the expressions of our consciousness.

Pascal Raso once again participated in one of our events, exhibiting his “Dancers” photo series focused on the human body and its movements. For his former sports career, the artist has always been attracted by this theme and he sees bodies as hostile powerful tools that can also be places of personal sovereignty, which in time becomes a privileged field of exploration, reflection and games. The British-born Joel Douek, who lives and works in Los Angeles now, mainly works on the themes of change and impermanence with his creations made of raw metals, woods, and a variety of oxidation techniques. His artworks are strongly connected with the idea of alchemical elements and their relationships inside the matter.

During this exhibition, we have also the opportunity to see a rich video screening selection. Dell’Aversana & Varavallo presented their video “SOSpeso #1” which is all about human vulnerability, with a deep analysis on balance, weight and time, three elements that have always to be measured with attention and perseverance. Nandan He’s animated video talks about the rawness of a contemporary Self and reveals an irrational order of a hyper normalized wonderland. Toni Simò and Jesùs Segura participated with two works that analyze the usual but seen from different points of view. Toni Simò inserted several symbolic signs to reflect about the issues of postcolonial context on tourism, spatial planning and spatial symbolic architecture in the multicultural and global resort city of Benidorm (Spain). Jesùs Segura delves into a vision of the everyday where the ordinary turns into extraordinary and becomes an event producing a space-time alteration in which flows the ‘estrangement’ and the ‘self-questioning’. Matilda Hallander delighted and at the same time question us with an alienating video piece that tries to highlight the lines we have drawn between the natural and the artificial. Where should the borderline between humans and cyborgs be drawn, if at all?

Monica Aguilar participated with the video “Dimensiones”, an audiovisual journey about the return to balance and the unification of opposites, that explores the evolution of spaces, vibration, sound, movement, and energy of which we are all part. “Space Place” by Roni Ben-Ari, Israelian video maker, showed us the unusual experience of two dancers dancing intimately in a zoo: they wanted to get away from the theatre apparatus where the audience watches them from a distance, they wanted to change the prospects, and for this, they chose to get as close as possible in an unusual environment, creating a sense of disorientation. Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius (SHARM.T. P)., from her side, presented a video story set in Japan, in which the five elements of Earth, Air, Wind, Fire and Water are the only way to the Truth. The work of Eduardo Duda Valente Villar Do Valle consists of a series of optical liquid abstractions; while Anne-Katrin Spiess surprised our eyes, in her video, by wearing a dress made from images of her freckled skin which camouflage with the desert earth: this place had imprinted itself on her, and made the link between nature and culture explicit, as alchemy states.

organized by ITSLIQUID Group
curator Luca Curci
gallery manager Massimiliano Gordiani
project manager Giulia Tassi
project coordinators Amaride Ferrante, Veronica Piras, Giulia Spagnuolo
collaborators Michela Sperandio, Ilde Strobbe
graphic designer Marina Caracciolo
partner ArtFix
supported by B.R.E. PRODUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. | CREARTS | THE ATLANTA CREATORS

VENUE
ArtFix
7 Durnford St, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 9BF
November 04 – 25, 2021
11:00AM – 06:00PM | Monday – Saturday
Free entry

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COVID-19 Protection Concept – ITSLIQUID Group

The health and safety of our staff and visitors are of predominant importance to ITSLIQUID Group. This Protection Concept governs how we intend to operate after the lockdown has ended, the rules that will be applied inside the exhibition spaces and how these will be implemented in practice. Read more.

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ABOUT US
ITSLIQUID is a web based information platform, founded in 2001 by Luca Curci, dedicated to world wide distribution of information about calls for entries, exhibitions and events at some of the world’s leading art galleries, museums and foundations selected. ITSLIQUID has already built a readership of more than 250.000 qualified subscribers. Among them architects, designers, artists, collectors, art critics, curators, dealers, and other personalities of the International art, architecture and design world. It provides advertising services, press office services for events and projects, articles and specials published on the website, media partnerships services.

During the last 20 years, ITSLIQUID Group has became a cultural hub between creatives, exhibition spaces and art lovers. Among our international partners, Art Now Fair, Art Vancouver, Design Tokyo, INDEX Qatar, INDEX Saudi, The Big 5 Construct Dubai, The Big 5 Construct Qatar, Photo LA Los Angeles and international magazines like Art Style. ITSLIQUID Group supports some of the most important no-profit organizations, like UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, SSCS – Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, One Tree Planted, The Ocean CleanUp and Plastic Oceans, with the goal to increase public awareness about environmental issues. Click here to find out more.

ITSLIQUID GROUP includes a section dedicated to the organization of international art events, managing exhibitions of painting, photography, video art, installation and performance; it organizes solo and collective shows, art residencies and international contests. Its object is to use new technologies to globalize the language of art, to connect artists working in every part of the world.

ITSLIQUID Group manages a variety of art spaces all over the world; among them THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space in the heart of San Marco Square in Venice and different historical buildings, THE LINE Contemporary Art Space in the London city center and other different partners worldwide. Since its beginning, the group has organized more than 250 events all around the world, involving more than 5.000 artists, in more than 60 international venues in Italy, USA, Canada, UK, Spain, France, etc. Most of the last events have been realized in museums (CCCB – Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona in Spain, NCCA – National Center for Contemporary Arts in Moscow, etc.), galleries and private foundations.

ITSLIQUID is based on fluidity, motion, connection and accessibility. Making things easy to do. Welcome.

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OUR LOCATION

THE LINE Contemporary Art Space

artFix, located in the heart of Greenwich Market, is a one-stop platform cherishing art from conception to execution. artFix is the combination of a café, a co-working space, a learning centre and a popup venue. It is always on the look for aspiring and skilled artists to join and showcase their artwork. Being inside the vibrant Greenwich Market it showcases the best London and local designer-makers, interesting collectables and the food court in the market delivering mouth-watering food to go. This unique covered market with its vibrant atmosphere and commitment to showcasing designer-makers is fondly regarded as one of London’s best markets. The market has a cobbled stone floor, a statuesque portico at one end and the lanes leading into the market are very quaint.

Greenwich has excellent public transport connections and artFix is just 8 minutes from London Bridge train station and 20 minutes from Bank station via DLR. Visitors can choose from a variety of travel options including riverboat, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), train, tube, bus or even a cable car.