The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit

Artists: Yuji Agematsu, Kelly Akashi, Derya Akay, Nina Beier, Luis Miguel Bendaña, Meriem Bennani, Matthew Brannon, Donna Conlon & Jonathan Harker, Rodrigo Hernandez, Jef Geys, Allison Katz, Adriana Lara, Nancy Lupo, Nevine Mahmoud, Aliza Nisenbaum, Naufus Ramirez-Figueroa, Shimabuku, Peter Shire, Gabriel Sierra, Erika Verzutti, Maja Vukoje, Amelie von Wulffen

Exhibition title: The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit

Curated by: Andrew Berardini and Chris Sharp

Venue: Lulu, Mexico City

Dates: February 6 – April 1, 2018

Photography: All images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Lulu, Mexico

Lulu is very proud to present the second edition of the Lulennial, entitled, A Low-Hanging Fruit. Co-curated by the Los Angeles-based writer and curator Andrew Berardini and Lulu co-founder, Chris Sharp, the second edition of the micro-perennial (biennial/triennial) exhibition takes fruit as its theme. Playing with the stereotypical prominence of this sweet botanical bounty within the context of Latin American art, not to mention its multifaceted importance within the history of art, the Lulennial consists of a compact selection of works which feature fruit, either quite literally or representations thereof. Fruit, fruit and more fruit.

After all the convoluted and controversial gravitas of the 2017 biennial/perennial exhibition season, what with the Whitney Biennial, Documenta, and Venice, we thought the circuit could use a little levity and comic relief. This levity, and relief, will be heightened by the fact that it will take place in what is one of the smallest spaces (a total of 21 square meters) in Mexico City. Yet despite the modesty of the space, this biennial, so to speak, is totally serious and committed in its intentions. Fruit, it contends, is no laughing matter. Or at least, not merely a laughing matter. The acme of polyvalence, the significations and implications of fruit, for all its apparent frivolity, spider out in many directions at once. Politically freighted, highly erotic, queer, vitamin charged, mouldering stuff of memento mori, deceptively simple, and delightfully absurd, as well as weird, just weird, fruit contains multitudes (of seeds– of meaning!).

While this modest meditation of such a vast subject inevitably comes up short, it nevertheless seeks to include a broad range of ethnically diverse artists of different ages and stages in their careers from all over the world. Because let’s face it folks, fruit is a subject that concerns us all. By the same token, the exhibition will feature a selection of classic, already extent works as well as at least a dozen new commissions made especially for the Lulennial. All of which is to say that A Low-Hanging Fruit has every intention of redeeming its lack of exhaustiveness through its avowed attempt to embody the complexity and dynamism of its subject matter. There will ideally be something (juicy) here for everyone.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully-illustrated, bilingual catalog featuring texts by the curators as well as Gabriela Jauregui published by Mousse Publishing.

Lulu is also proud to launch its second alternative art map of Mexico City (the first of which consisted of addresses of historical foreign artists, writers, and musicians who had lived and worked in Mexico City). The theme of this map is food, specifically, puestos (food stands/street food) or taquerias. For this edition of the map, we have invited approximately 50 art professionals (artists, gallerists, curators, museum directors, critics and producers) to select their favorite puesto or taqueria in Mexico City. The map is meant to function both as a real, gastronomical resource as well as snap shot of the diversity of agents currently involved in the Mexican capital’s contemporary art scene.

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Derya Akay, Fallen fruit (Santa Barbara Market, Vancouver), 2018, Acrylic paint, apple seed, bee, candy wrapper, ceramic, cockroach, coins, dried plant, fly, foam lemon, foam pomegranate, lemon, matches, metal hook, metal, olive pit, onion skin, orange peel, orange, P, pigment, plastic lemon, plexiglass, plum pits, plywood, Q, resin, small plastic doll hand, spider and web, spray paint, toy bell, wood, 100 x 69 x 28cm; 39 x 27.50 x 11 in

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Allison Katz, Arsi–Versi (Nose–Ass–Pear), (2014 – ongoing), 2016, Glazed ceramic, 14 x 14 x 16 cm; 5.5 x 5.5 x 6 in.

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Gabriel Sierra, Untitled (Support for mathematics lesson), 2007, Fruit, ceramic plate and rulers, dimensions variable

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Meriem Bennani, iButt, 2015, iPhone, looping animation with sound

Adriana Lara, Installation (Banana Peel), 2008, Banana peel, dimensions variable

Naufus Ramirez-Figueroa, Penca, 2017, Polystyrene and fiberglass

Maja Vukoje, Lime, 2017, Acrylic on burlap, 80 x 60 cm; 31,5 x 23,6 in.

Amelie von Wulffen, Ohne Titel, 2015, oil on paper on wood, 40 x 30 cm; 15 3/4 x 11 3/4 in.

Kelly Akashi, Be Me (Japanese-Californian Citrus), 2016, Stainless Steel, 12.7 x 5 x 5 cm; 5 x 4 x 4 in

Aliza Nisenbaum, Strawberry flowers, dinner with Chris, 2018, Oil on linen, 15 x 15cm; 6 x 6 in.

Jef Geys, Fruitlingerie, 1985, Black and White Print, A3 size

Matthew Brannon, A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, Exhibiton poster and cards.

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Nina Beier, Scheme, 2014, Produce from online organic fruit and vegetable box scheme, dimensions variable

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Erika Verzutti, Grandmother, 2017, Concrete and blue pigment, 30 x 13 x 12 cm; 12 x 5 x 5 in.

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Donna Conlon & Jonathan Harker, Tropical Zincphony, 2013, HD 16:9, 1’ 50”

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Nevine Mahmoud, Carved fruit, 2018, Portuguese marble and steel, 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5cm; 3 x 3 x 3 in.

The Lulennial II: A Low-Hanging Fruit, 2018, exhibition view, Lulu, Mexico City

Rodrigo Hernandez, Zapaya, 2017, Cardboard, wood, oil paint, 36 × 30 × 15 cm; 14 x 11.8 x 6 in.

Peter Shire, Study for Peach Cup, 1979, Gouache, Paper, 40.6 x 35.5 x 6.6cm; 16 x 14 x 2.62 in.

Shimabuku, Kaki and Tomato, 2008, framed c-print on aluminium, frame 36.6 x 46.2 cm; 14.4 x 18.1 in; without frame 18.8 x 28.4 cm; 7.4 x 11.1 in.

Yuji Agematsu, 2017.04, Eldridge St. & Grand St., NYC, 2017, mini compact disc and dried banana peel pinned to foam board, 36.8 x 22.9 x 5.7 cm; 14 1/2 x 9 x 2 1/4 in

Luis Miguel Bendaña, Cherry, 2018, Powder coated cast bronze, 2 x 2 x 9cm; 1 x 1 x 3.5 in.

Nancy Lupo, Untitled, 2018, Kitty littler (Pets Club), Nylabone Tug, 2- cast aluminum Nylabone tugs, rainbow string, papaya seeds, Tea Tree Therapy mint toothpick, orange stick, sticky tack and Cooper Union bronze medal, dimensions variable.