+ 8+ 7+ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5

+ 8+ 7+ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5

(Taipei, Bangkok, Moscow, Paris, San Casciano dei Bagni, Dublin, New York)

curated by Cecile Bourne

Participating artists : Claudia and Julia Muller, Nawajul Boonpucknavig, Michael Shoawanasai, Hsia - Fei Chang, Fiona Tan, Magali Claude, Rachel Toomey, Txuspo Poyo, Natalia Zoubovich, Richard Hoeck/ Heimo Zobernig

9th December 1999 - 15th January 2000

The title + 8+ 7+ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5 simple spell out time difference between six cities where this series of exhibitions will take place. Whether they live in Moscow, Paris or Bangkok artists often find themselves traveling from one place to another. These movements have little to do with tourism. They are not a matter of choice, but the necessary consequences of expanding worldwide communication and exhibition opportunities which in turn affect many contemporary artists’ thinking. As well as the content and reception of their works. This presentation aims to shine a fresh light on a wide range of approaches responding to tensions arising in contemporary life around the world. This show + 8+ 7+ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5 includes a sixty minute video program, an extensive selection of short pieces, made by artists who rely on the image in movement, to focus on fundamental issues relating to social behavior in sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic mode. Often produced with a minimum of equipment, the narrative, experimental and performance works chosen for this presentation are not video clips. Understandable in any language, they document short - moments of life to be shared or present animated visual statements. Be they real or fictive, distances in time and space are reflected in a complex array of cultural difference and idiosyncrasies. Accordingly, the ten selected artists have also been asked to come up a maximum of ten snapshot related to the cities where their project is to be shown. These virtual journeys provide subjective documentary views; at each venue every artist’s contribution expands by another couple of images and draws a different response. The picture may relate to whatever the artists will have read or heard about those cities from literature, music, the media or any resources they consider relevant to their works and to the different audiences. In each city, the video programme will be identical but new stills will be presented. Thus combined together, their significance and their mode of production will be enhanced by the different urban contexts and bring unexpected insights. + 8+ 7+ 3 + 1 + 1 + 5 already took place in Moscow at the Maly Manege (catalogue) in July on the occasion of the Moscow Forum of Art Initiatives and in Paris in 20th November to 5th December, at the artist- run – space, Glassbox.

The project is support by AFAA, Association Francaise Artistique, Cultural Services of French Embassy in Thailand, Soros Center for Contemporary Art, Mondrian Stichting and Ministerio de Cultura of Spain. Toshiba (Thailand), Eric Booth and Jibby Yunibandhu.