Artists: The Still House Group
Exhibition title: Service Entrance
Curated by: The Still House Group
Venue: Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium
Date: November 23, 2014 – March 1, 2015
Photography: Rik Vannevel
Courtesy: Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels
© The Still House Group, New-York
The Still House Group has been invited to occupy the museum Dhondt-Dhaenens for nearly four months, exhibiting both their own work and a program of nine rotating projects. The eight young artists who comprise Still House currently share a studio facility in Brooklyn, New York, constructed in 2011. Although these artists work in the same space, their individual work is very diverse. The eight artists choose to work together in an intensely intimate way without creating works ‘as a group’. They use significantly different media and techniques ranging from the classic oil painting, sewing together pieces of cloth or paper, utilizing various materials from the construction industry, to appropriating and reinterpreting existing images and objects. The members of the Still House Group regularly exhibit together, organize projects and activities as a group and curate their own exhibitions. Since 2008 the artists have exhibited in various galleries and art centres in the United States and Europe, including Galerie Rodolphe Janssen in Brussels, White Cube in London and Museo Pino Pascali in Polignano.
Still House curates a residency program in which they invite an artist to work in the Brooklyn studios for a period of three months, culminating in a solo exhibition at their gallery. These artists are then methodically included in the exhibition projects of the group. In the project Service Entrance, there will be an area in the museum where between November and March eight former resident artists will alternate group presentations of their work.
Besides space for exhibiting their own work and work of former residents, the artists / curators also created space for a special project involving one of the Still House – artists in an intense way. Along with the non-profit organisation Art Without Bars, Zachary Susskind has guided some ten inmates of the prison Andenne to realize three consecutive exhibitions, which will be on display in a museum’s room from November to March. In the exhibition the visitor will share the prisoner’s emotions and as such becomes part of their artistic vision on life.
Finally, a gift shop will complete the concept of Service Entrance. Set amongst a sculptural installation created by artist Joe Graham-Felsen, the group has brought together a selection of second hand books, examples of New York-based artist publications and zines, as well as objects and art editions offered for sale during the exhibition. Coordinating with the transition of the residency exhibitions and prisoner’s project, this room will turn into a theatre playing feature films, music videos, interviews and other video content chosen by Still House. In February, this room will change yet again to accommodate a selection of soundtracks made by members and peers of the group.
