Revolv Exhibition & Free Events

We are going to have the exhibition from the 6th to the 9th of September at Four Corners Gallery. The exhibiting artists are Krasimira Butseva, Vera Hadzhiyska, Lina Ivanova and Laura Gowing.

The work of Krasimira Butseva explores the attrocities done by the communist rule in Bulgaria from 1944 to 1989. The photographer works with a variety of styles and approaches such as archival documents, films and photographs, documentary and forensic photography, landscape photography and portrature. The work includes research conducted with survivors, relatives of victims as well as independent investigators, non-profit organisations and governmental institutions.

Vera Hadzhiyska explores the influence of historical events on individuals’ lives, through the complexities of both past and present political systems in Eastern Europe. With the use of photography, video and mapping, I am tracing my family's migrations from the mountain villages of Bulgaria to towns, cities, and other countries.

Lina Ivanova's work addresses the complicated political history of Bulgaria, notions of social displacement and the social disintegration caused by a number of significant political events of the last century. The fall of communism did not simply result in change of power, but also in the purposeful eradication of past indoctrination to conceal the violations conducted by the party. Former media, educational material, monuments and patriotic values were wiped out, damaging national culture and collective memory.

And Laura Gowing's piece is about the way we see a series of images and what do we truly see? We cannot argue that these spaces are familiar, these domestic and exterior places that we have all seen once before. Within these spaces we encounter the traces of the everyday; scenic views, curtains, chairs, but when we look upon these images we see a disconnection. There is a trace of something hidden within these images, there is something to be desired. We see nothing, but yet we see an unattainable object that we want to obtain. 

On the Friday (8th of September) we have planned to host a collaborative zine workshop – the participants will be members from other collectives, who have been invited to get involved and we are still waiting for their confirmation. The event will start at 10:30 and finish approximately 15:30 – by the end of which we would have a complete zine and start producing more free copies for visitors.

On Sunday 9th of September, we will set up the second event.

Our first speaker is Russell Squires, who is a multi-faceted artist, primarily using photography within a fine art and conceptual based context. His current practice is concerned with the very construct and formation of photography and its dissemination into popular culture. He is going to speak about the subject of Artist Educators, how teaching influenced his work, and can develop one as an artist.

Our second guest speaker will be Felicity Hammond, whose work focuses on photography and installation. She is interested in political contradictions within the urban landscape and her work explores construction sites and obsolete built environments. Her recent awards include, British Journal of Photography International Photography Award: Winner 2016, Catlin Art prize: Finalist 2015, Magnum and Photo London Inaugural Photographer award: nominated 2015. She will share her advice on how to apply for open calls and grants, giving her most recent commissions as an example.

Our third speaker is Philip Serfaty, a curator and director of the new exhibition space Black Tower Projects, in South London. He holds an MA in Curation from Goldsmiths University and has worked with a number of galleries as well as a wide range of artists. We have invited him to give our audience an insight into the world of curation, how to approach gallery spaces and gain exposure from exhibitions.

And our fourth guest artists is Carole Evans, she is one of the founders of Portrait Salon. As well as she worked for seven years as Gallery Coordinator at Photofusion in Brixton, where she met many influential photographers and honed her skills in organising events and curating. She is Senior Lecturer in Contextual Studies at Ravensbourne, sessional tutor on BA Photography at UCA Farnham, and works independently as a photographer and curator.