WALL/FLOWER: a new magazine devoted to contemporary arts/innovative music
26/05/2010
Mill24 pt1 @ Islington Mill. Words: Caitriona Devery
http://theislingtonwallflower.tumblr.com/
"Our pick’n’mix, channel-hopping culture can engender zero tolerance to boredom. Not grabbing your attention after ten seconds? Switch over, click another link. Barraged by information, we skim, surf and flick. Art, on the other hand, can be demanding: layers of meaning not immediately apparent are revealed only after an effort has been made to understand. How then, does art sit within a context which worships speed, entertainment and immediacy? And how should curators respond to these conditions? Mill24 courts our visually-saturated, attention-deficit mindset by collapsing exhibition length and foregrounding performance and new media. The first of two 24-hour events will be held on April 24th, starting at 6pm and featuring over 30 artists. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is armchair art for the google generation. Fleeting and transient it may be, but those who last for the full duration of the event are promised an extended, intensified engagement.Loosely reminiscent of Marina Abramovic’s live-art-marathon at the Whitworth, the Mill24 curators challenge our speeded-up culture, addressing the manner in which art is consumed and exhibited today. In some ways an extended preview, in others an entire gallery season condensed into a day, Mill24 will explore exhibition conventions and alternative spaces. But if that all sounds a bit heavy – don’t worry. One thing lacking from the Abramovic event was a 24-hour bar, something which has (thankfully) been rectified for Mill24."
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