Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Gonde, Mende or Vai, southwestern Sierra Leone
Sculpture - Wood, pigment (white kaolin)
44 x 23 x 27 cm (17.32 x 9.06 x 10.63 in)
Mark Flood
Chevron alpha, 2014
Painting - Archival ink on canvas
182.9 x 166.4 cm (72 x 65.5 in)
Will Boone
SOLDIER, 2014
Painting - Acrylic and Enamel on canvas
182.9 x 114.3cm (72 x 45 in)
Jeff Elrod
Optimo Cavern, 2013
Painting - UV ink on Fischer canvas
281.3 x 213.4 cm (110.75 x 84.02 in)
Brent Wadden
Large red single #1, 2014
Painting - handwover fibers, wool, cotton and acrylic on canvas
170.5 x 110 cm (67.13 x 43.31)
Brent Wadden
Large red single #2, 2014
Painting - Handwoven fibers, wool, cotton and acrylic on canvas
152.5 x 10 cm (60.04 x 43.31 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Gola, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, pigments (black white [kaolin]), metal
43.2 x 24.8 x 33.5 cm (17.01 x 9.76 x 13.19 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Gola, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, pigments (black white [kaolin]), metal
43.2 x 24.8 x 33.5 cm (17.01 x 9.76 x 13.19 in)
Leo Gabin
Viciously Slaps, 2014
Painting - Lacquer, spray paint, acrylic and silkscreen on canvas
270 x 198 cm (106.3 x 77.95 in)
Will Boone
HOAX, 2014
Painting - Acrylic, Enamel and Vinyl on canvas
182.9 x 114.3 cm (72 x 45 in)
Will Boone
UFO, 2014
Painting - Acrylic on canvas
182.9 x 137.2cm
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, metals, cowrie shells
84.5 x 29.8 x 27.3 cm (33.25 x 11.75 x 10.75 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, metals, cowrie shells
84.5 x 29.8 x 27.3 cm (33.25 x 11.75 x 10.75 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, dark, and shiny patina
34 x 24 x 30 cm (13.39 x 9.45 x 11.81 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, dark, and shiny patina
34 x 24 x 30 cm (13.39 x 9.45 x 11.81 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood with a deep black patina
45 x 25.5 x 23 cm (17.72 x 10.04 x 9.06 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood with a deep black patina
45 x 25.5 x 23 cm (17.72 x 10.04 x 9.06 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, pigment (dark brown, white [kaolin], pink)
37 x 20 x 22.5 cm (14.57 x 7.87 x 8.86 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Liberia
Sculpture - Wood, pigment (dark brown, white [kaolin], pink)
37 x 20 x 22.5 cm (14.57 x 7.87 x 8.86 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Sierra Leone
Sculpture - Wood
40 x 21.5 x 24 cm (15.75 x 8.46 x 9.45 in)
Helmet Mask of the Sande Society, Bassa, Sierra Leone
Sculpture - Wood
40 x 21.5 x 24 cm (15.75 x 8.46 x 9.45 in)
David Ostrowski
F (How to do things left), 2014
Painting - Acrylic and lacquer on canvas
241 x 191 cm (94.88 x 75.2 in)
Ida Ekblad
Coastal Scenery, 2014
Painting - Oil on primed linen
300 x 200 cm (118.11 x 78.74 in)
Ida Ekblad
Mourner's Typescript, 2014
Painting - Oil on primed linen
300x200 cm (118.11 x 78.74 in)
Ida Ekblad
Apataki Souvenir, 2014
Painting - Oil on primed linen
300 x 200 cm (118.11 x 78.74)
Ida Ekblad
Cadmium Violin, 2014
Painting - Oil on primed linen
300x200 cm (118.11 x 78.74 in)
Assume vivid astro focus
actual variations accelerate fecundity series #1, 2014
Painting - KRINK paint on handmade Japanese paper in handpainted wood frame
104 x 73.5cm (40.94 x 28.94 in)
Dorothy Iannone
Jewel, 1967
Painting - Oil on canvas
130 x 97cm (51.18 x 38.19)
Harmony Korine
haro freestyle check, 2014
Painting - Oil stick, latex house paint, ink and collage on canvas
317.5 x 238.75 cm (125 x 94 in)
Group Spirit
assume vivid astro focus
Will BOONE
Ida EKBLAD
Jeff ELROD
Mark FLOOD
Dorothy IANNONE
Leo GABIN
Harmony KORINE
David OSTROWSKI
Brent WADDEN
Unidentified Bassa, Gola, Mende and Vai artists
28 June – 9 August 2014
Opening reception: 28 June 2014, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Peres Projects is very pleased to present “Group Spirit”, an exhibition of works by contemporary artists along with works of unidentified African artists from the Bassa, Gola, Mende, and Vai people of what is present day Liberia and Sierra Leone. This will mark the first time the gallery presents an exhibition of classic African art alongside contemporary works.
Among the most iconic works of classic African art, “Bundu” helmet masks were used by the all female Sande Society as part of their rituals. Bundus are created in order to appeal aesthetically to the spirit world when used by ranking women of the Sande. Once a mask has received spiritual acceptance, as evidenced by continued use, it transcends critical analysis by either the male artist or its female patron/user. While these imaginative works do adhere to certain basic principles, each artist incorporates culturally specific symbolic forms which depict concepts that the community wishes to convey to the spirits and whose meaning is known only within that culture.
Many of the contemporary works in “Group Spirit” use rough, non-artistic materials that achieve elevated status through their association with twentieth-century abstract art – a once-renegade style that conveys emotion and transcendent meaning. Liberated from literal narratives and relatable references, the contemporary works in “Group Spirit” evoke spiritually awakened aesthetic codes, customs and traditions, speaking in the same voice as the masks’ tribal ceremonies that initiated individuals into their communities.
Peres Projects’ opening hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am – 6pm. For further information and sales inquiries, please contact Javier Peres (javier@peresprojects.com), Nick Koenigsknecht (nick@peresprojects.com) or you can call at +49 30 275 950770.
For press and media inquiries, please contact Silke Neumann at Bureau N: silke.neumann@bureau-n.de or +49 30 6273 6102.
