Alexandre Singh
09 Nov - 07 Dec 2013
ALEXANDRE SINGH
The Humans
9 November – 7 December 2013
Alexandre Singh presents six bronze busts in his first one-person exhibition in Metro Pictures’ Upstairs Gallery. Recalling the grisly caricatures of Honoré Daumier, each of the busts represent a mask worn by characters from the chorus in Singh’s play The Humans: the Hag, Strumpet, Bray, Crone, Husband and Wife. Singh worked on the molds for the bronzes at Witte de With in Rotterdam, where he was invited to develop the play. There he organized a monthly series of public talks called Causeries where he refined and shared his research on themes and influential figures ranging from cosmogony to theatrical costumes, Alexander Pope to Woody Allen.
Set in a half-formed world at the beginning of time and space, The Humans is a creation story based on the satirical comedies of Aristophanes. The play follows two spirits who try to prevent an unseen creator they believe to be vain and maniacal from creating the Earth. In their attempt to undermine the creator’s divine authority they inadvertently cause the humans, who play the Greek chorus, to fall from grace and become messy, imperfect beings that come to be understood as human. Singh uses real figures such as Charles Ray and the Nesquik Chocolate Bunny and incorporates them into his surreal mythological narrative.
The Humans makes its North American premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on November 13 and runs through November 17. The play is a Performa 13 commission.
Alexandre Singh has had one-person exhibitions at The Drawing Center, New York; Witte de With, Rotterdam; Palais de Toyko, Paris; Ballroom Marfa, Texas; and Nassauischer Kunstverein, Wiesbaden, Germany. His work has been exhibited in group shows at the Guggenheim Museum, New York; New Museum, New York; MoMA PS1, New York; SculptureCenter, New York; Hayward Gallery, London; and CNAP Centre national des arts plastiques, Brussels. Singh has participated in the Whitney Biennial, Lyon Biennial and Manifesta 8.
The Humans
9 November – 7 December 2013
Alexandre Singh presents six bronze busts in his first one-person exhibition in Metro Pictures’ Upstairs Gallery. Recalling the grisly caricatures of Honoré Daumier, each of the busts represent a mask worn by characters from the chorus in Singh’s play The Humans: the Hag, Strumpet, Bray, Crone, Husband and Wife. Singh worked on the molds for the bronzes at Witte de With in Rotterdam, where he was invited to develop the play. There he organized a monthly series of public talks called Causeries where he refined and shared his research on themes and influential figures ranging from cosmogony to theatrical costumes, Alexander Pope to Woody Allen.
Set in a half-formed world at the beginning of time and space, The Humans is a creation story based on the satirical comedies of Aristophanes. The play follows two spirits who try to prevent an unseen creator they believe to be vain and maniacal from creating the Earth. In their attempt to undermine the creator’s divine authority they inadvertently cause the humans, who play the Greek chorus, to fall from grace and become messy, imperfect beings that come to be understood as human. Singh uses real figures such as Charles Ray and the Nesquik Chocolate Bunny and incorporates them into his surreal mythological narrative.
The Humans makes its North American premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on November 13 and runs through November 17. The play is a Performa 13 commission.
Alexandre Singh has had one-person exhibitions at The Drawing Center, New York; Witte de With, Rotterdam; Palais de Toyko, Paris; Ballroom Marfa, Texas; and Nassauischer Kunstverein, Wiesbaden, Germany. His work has been exhibited in group shows at the Guggenheim Museum, New York; New Museum, New York; MoMA PS1, New York; SculptureCenter, New York; Hayward Gallery, London; and CNAP Centre national des arts plastiques, Brussels. Singh has participated in the Whitney Biennial, Lyon Biennial and Manifesta 8.