Thought, sight, hearing and communication are delimited by bodies and by devices. Human activity is constrained by physical, anatomical, social, and technical limits. Within these limits, patterns of difference and sameness produce genre, equivalence, standardisation, and the generic. Genre is a recognisable pattern of sameness. A standard is both a constraint and a generative locus for that which differs from it. The generic is an uninteresting iteration of a standard. Equivalence is any discernible continuity between two entities.
Exhibition Standard explores these propositions. All three artists use limited, constrained, or inadequate means of production and/or communication to locate difference in the standardised. Through the use of consumer grade technologies and techniques, the works explore the generative potential of the standardised and the generic.
Marian Tubbs
They stay intact until they meet a force, 2016
Plasmid genetics, 2016
Messmates ii, 2016
Plastic is perhaps the most standardised material, enabling the most diverse applications. Despite its utility, plastic congregates in the Oceans where its use value is transferred from humans to micro- organisms, plasmids and other creatures. The work features games that cannot be played and screens without images. This apparent unplayability produces only a facsimile of interaction – a space of thwarted utility, a surface without depth that gestures at the emptiness of customisation. Foam Octopi constitute the game’s innards, they are carved from the foam that infests their habitat.
Timothy D
No archive necessary, 2016
I collected junk and rubbish from Sydenham Rd to insert in a video game space developed for a previous exhibition. The pieces of rubbish are available to purchase for $66.60 each, or all together, including the game for $666. If it is not purchased the game will be deleted after the exhibition.
Tom Smith
Stay gold, 2016 (full clip – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcCMge5NtQU)
Stay gold traces the default routines and absurdities of interstate travel, non-diligent research and the minutiae of networked cultural production. Stay gold reproduces the banality of transaction, waiting, browsing, searching, form filling, desiring, shopping and clicking. Stay gold makes private administrative rituals public. Stay gold features an auto-tuned soundtrack with lyrics taken from Clare Milledge’s Tinder paintings.
1. A little amoeba roaming the earth
2. All turbo everything
3. At the end, actions speak louder than words
4. I used to be conceited but now I’m perfect
5. I’m always happy
6. I’m looking for the next new thing
7. Loyalty is everything
8. Not funny or interesting
9. Trust your instincts, learn from your mistakes
10. Stay gold
11. Loving life one adventure at a time
12. Not here for games
13. Fun and playful, stress free
14. Spiritual, loyal, faithful and true
Exhibition Standard
Timothy D / Tom Smith / Marian Tubbs
30/9-16/10/16