Join Ventures

Becky Bolton & Louise Chappell, Ben Jeans Houghton & Matthew de Kersaint Giraudeau, Hannah Barton & Xavier Poultney, James Irwin & Will Robinson, Jennifer Bailey & Kazimierz Jankowski, Luke Montgomery & Josh Alexander, Simon Linington & William Mackrell

Private View 04/10/12, 6-10pm

Exploring the practice of collaboration within making art, Space In Between has brought together seven pairs of artists, inviting them to make new work for, and within the wider context of, a group show. Joint Ventures attempts to create a scenario where the process of working together, is integral to the outcome of the exhibition and to the work made.

According to the Vietnamese filmmaker and theorist Trinh T. Minh-ha,
collaboration “happens not when something common is shared between the
collaborators, but when something that belongs to neither of them comes to pass between them”. Some of these collaborations conform to this idea – creating a third identity belonging to neither artist – whilst others create a dialogue around collaboration; engaged in negotiation, reconciliation, compromise or competition.

Each ‘joint venture’ is different to the next; from an immersive and monumental sound installation, to an automatic collaborative wall drawing; an archive display of a journey shared, to a dialogue surrounding what collaboration could be.

Featuring 14 artists working across a variety of disciplines encompassing photography & video, installation, sculpture, drawing & performance, Joint Ventures aims to throw a spotlight on collaborative working ‘in practice’ - inviting its audience to address the state of collaboration and its relevance to contemporary art-making.

Joint Ventures is supported by Arts Council England and Oval Space.