Images from Folded Sandstone / Friends Dancing installed at Sydenham International between 9 February and 2 March 2024 with works by Miška Mandić, Samuel Hodge and Connie Anthes. Individual photographs presented here are Miška’s. Header image includes Hodge’s work Untitled, 2022 – Digital Archival Print, Various Inks, Dyes
In this exhibition, Samuel Hodge and Miška Mandić explored concepts that emerged through drawn out and open discussions on studio practice, exhibition and collaboration. With this installation they looked for a common language that would allow them to outsource to each other concepts of feeling / idea / vision while retaining their regard for each other’s autonomy and pleasure.
Expanding on this, the artists flirted with ideas of what agency and responsibility means for an ‘exhibiting artist’. Instead of privileging the new and exclusive, they looked back across archives of unexhibited work for ideas that fell through the cracks, seeking to carve out some joy through the process. After handing over these archives to one another, they gave up the decision-making process, choosing works for each other. Deep breaths as unexpected choices were made to challenge the veracity of each other’s material, to guide each other down paths and combinations that may not have existed without loosening the grip.
Connie Anthes was invited to participate by producing a series of texts and interventions in response to the exhibition, resulting in a performance and text titled Ellipsis.
Miška Mandić 