On March 30 the gal­lery will be closed



Reverse Joy looks at the role of mysticism in the per­petual protest movement at the heart of the Shi’a faith for its radical recon­sideration of history and thus justice. Inser­ting oneself, flesh and faith, into the events that trans­pired 13 cen­turies ago; the col­lapse of traditional under­stan­dings of time; the rever­sal of roles of men and women; and joy through mour­ning all demand an equally elastic and muscular under­stan­ding of the sacred and the profane that is the down payment towards any meaning­ful social change.

Through the simple sub­stitution of color, Reverse Joy exemplifies the collective’s com­mit­ment to brin­ging together ideas, thoughts, beliefs or voices previously con­sidered mutually exc­lusive. Some see in the color red the cynical manipulation of blood for political ends — martyrdom, war, etc — while others, i.e. chil­dren, see it as a festive, jubilant, almost naïve celebration. 



Slavs and Tatars
Reverse Joy

2012
embroidered and silk-screened banner, garden pump, bowl, water, pigment, 35 x 150 x 105 cm, ed. 1 + 1 AP