 Layla Curtis States of Mind This exhibition is the first solo show in London by Layla Curtis for three years. During this time Curtis has completed a major new series of work as well as undertaking several residencies and commissions. This show presents the ongoing "States of Mind" project and reflects developments of new areas of her practice. In 2000 Curtis completed the collage "United Kingdom of America" which comprises the locations in America whose names derive from British places. Curtis manipulated the American maps into a disconcertingly faithful map of the British Isles and by doing so exposed the extent of historical colonial influence and the social and political role of etymology. This interest in our transatlantic relationships develops with the ongoing series "States of Mind" represented here by new collaged map works that are made up of actual US place names. The resulting images have become a series of fantasy lands that are linked by the meanings of the names of the towns, forests, lakes and so on. Examples include "Hard Cash", "Wet Beaver Wilderness" and "Cut and Shoot". Here Curtis isolates some major preoccupations of the most powerful country on earth, and critiques them by simply pointing out that they are there. Curtis also presents two related works that continue her Stateside preoccupations and demonstrate an increasing use of new technologies in her practice. A new video work made up from found web pages explores how towns such as Needmore, Loveland and Gun Barrel City choose to brand and commodify themselves. These pages are selected from a vast archive amassed by Curtis. In addition Curtis has constructed an enormous wall drawing that consists of ongoing extensive lists prepared from her researches and findings. This work acts as a sort of index used for compiling, codifying and sorting her assembled data which at its current stage appears like complex layers of archaeological strata, made up entirely from place names. Rhodes + Mann are also delighted to present "Souvenirs from Manchester" a significant work commissioned by The University of Manchester that brings together contemporary artefacts and memorabilia collected by Curtis when visiting "Manchester" all over the USA. During an intensive, carefully planned trip, Curtis rushed from Manchester to Manchester, from State to State on a personal modern Grand Tour, and harvested an astonishing array of local souvenirs which were eventually displayed together in Manchester (UK). The result is an intriguing and enchanting cabinet of curiosities exploring the generic and individual self-images of these very different locations. Exhibition: 2 July - 7 August 2004 Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat 11 am - 6 pm, Sun 12 - 6 pm, or by appointment Rhodes + Mann 37 Hackney Road Shoreditch UK-London E2 7NX Telephone +44 (0) 20 7729 4372 Fax +444 (0) 20 7729 4754 Email mail@rhodesmann.com www.rhodesmann.com www.laylacurtis.com |
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