Black Rat Projects

Swoon. Detail. (© Jaime Rojo)

Black Rat Projects is delighted to invite you to our forthcoming show ‘Small Acts of Resistance’.

In ‘Small Acts of Resistance’ Black Rat Projects brings together six international contemporary artists whosework bears the stamp of both the artist’s aesthetic vision and the activist’s world changing ambition. Works by Peter Kennard, Dotmasters, Matt Small, Know Hope, and Armsrock will be on display from Thursday 4th November – Tuesday 30th November 2010. In addition to this, there will be a large-scale site specific installation created by Swoon.

Armsrock indoor installation. Brooklyn 2009. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Occupying public space – whether it is within the realms of media and advertising or the architectural surface of the cities in which they work and live – has become a core characteristic of the way these five artists work. They have had their work published in books and magazines, shown in galleries, pasted in the streets and have performed in front of audiences. Between them they disrupt the smooth image that corporate capitalism seeks to spread at once highlighting its repressive character. An interventionist spirit informs their artistic practices and they are constantly engaged in a process of understanding how their work might function in the world, in a way that supports, and not conflicts with their ideals. For the first time Black Rat Projects brings this group of likeminded artists together under one roof to explore common threads in their work and world views.

Know Hope. (Photo © Know Hope)

This exhibition references in title a recently published collection of stories collated by advocacy director of Amnesty International Steve Crawshaw and Human Rights activist Jon Jackson. The preface to their book was written by Czech writer and dissident Vaclav Haval who explains the misnomer in the title: ‘Today, millions around the world live in circumstances where it might seem that nothing will ever change. But they must remember that the rebellions that took place all across Eastern Europe in 1989 were the result of a series of individual actions by ordinary people which together made change inevitable. Small Acts of Resistance pays tribute to those who have sought to live in truth, and the impact that can have. In my lifetime, I have repeatedly seen that small acts of resistance have had incomparably greater impact than anybody could have predicted at the time. Small acts of resistance are not just about the present and the past. I believe they are about the future, too.’

For biogs of the artists or a pdf or available works please email in to info@blackratpress.com

A preview evening for the exhibition will be held on Thursday 4th November from 6pm – 9pm. Invites will be sent out via email. We hope to see you there.

Best wishes, BRP.

www.blackratprojects.co.uk

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