DISRUPTING MYTHOLOGIES

Exploring mythologies with a raucous edge.

Disrupting Mythologies brings together a selection of new and radical works by a collective of multidisciplinary artists. Over a 5-week residency, it incorporates a programme of specified workshops and performances run by guest artists and show members: live music, a riveting and transformative puppet show, a heterotopic life drawing experience, a remote viewing class, and divination-based dialogue sessions. Moving fervently between puzzling situations and obscurities of today, this exhibition features fantastic stories that help lighten the darkness ahead.

Entertainments run over the course of the occupancy seek to satisfy the highly inquisitive, expose the kindred nature of mythologising – thus creating connections between participants – and provide an unruly diversion from reality. In each age, mythology is kept alive as a means of making sense of the world, confirming we need meaning as much as we ever did. The collective beliefs surrounding verbal and visual narratives prevail in our present as motifs that provide explanation for humankind’s existential conditions. Yet a modern awareness sees us pestering the boundaries of past folklore and iconographies, clattering against the veneer of such symbology’s. This results in reinterpretation of such meanings that are brimming with riotous perceptions, offering a distorted lens on concepts that have evolved within our society. Extrapolating on this conflation of reality, the action of constructing a fundamental self-mythology is scrutinised, recognising both the absurdity and power of crafting a persona that fuses lies with truth to entice an enthralling story of an individual’s life lived.

With various mediums demonstrated, wildly differing creative worlds will collide in this eclectic show, demonstrating the multitudes of methods artists have used to recreate tales or establish their own myths. They are united by a shared unwavering urge to capture meaning amidst the absurdity, find the profound in the inane, and connection through stories.

Public Programme: Counting Blessings: 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th July

Have you always been drawn to certain numbers? Perhaps there is one that recurs in your life, a primary school register number appears on your address line five years later, your Instagram following count echoes in a receipt from a grocery store…

If you have been wondering if there is more behind these moments of chance and coincidence, this is the perfect place to bring your queries! Together at this tongue-in-cheek divination booth we shall attempt to decipher any secrets carried by your numerical messengers with a blend of various divination techniques drawn from numerology, modern astrology, Chinese traditional religion, and childhood games.

It is encouraged that you bring a physical piece of your found number eg. On a raffle ticket, receipt, screenshots, etc. though this is not compulsory.

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Puppet Show

21st July, 4 – 5pm

A show based on stories and fables based on female rage shown through the lens of puppetry. The artist, Miss Liddiard, will take the audience through the story of her grandmother ripping the curlers out of her next door neighbours hair after the neighbour said that her house was ugly. These drag like puppets will re enact the scene from Miss Liddiards’ mothers perspective as the curler, with hair attached, is ripped out of the infamous next door neighbours hair. Miss Liddiards’ mother was only seven at the time. The goal is for the show to feel like a Punch and Judy style, adult version, of a Childs puppet show. Juxtaposing the use of puppets and transforming them into mature works of art and aids to story telling.

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Music Performances by Bag4Life & Richard Burgess

23rd July, 6 – 9pm

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Remote Viewing Workshop with Evie Savini

25th July, 6 – 9pm

Remote Viewing is a psychic, esoteric and ancient practice that was co-opted by the CIA during the 1970s for “Project Stargate”. CIA agents were trained to extend their perception beyond their bodies in order to receive information about people, objects and places without ever having seen them. Remote Viewing had many uses, including locating fugitives and hostages, spying into overseas bases, predicting political unrest and making investment choices. As a group, we will follow real CIA training exercises released under the Freedom of Information Act to expand our consciousness and view objects hidden in the gallery space. Just as the CIA agents did, we will interpret these forms as drawings. Remote Viewing and other psychic tools were often misused by the CIA and it’s time we reclaimed a powerful process for understanding our world and even making art!

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Life Drawing – Metal Works Continued – The Life Drawing Part 2

28th July, 6 – 9pm

In this life drawing class Miss Liddiard will model as onlooking artists depict her through which ever medium they chose. The model will mirror the puppets in having curlers in her hair, 70s makeup and props. Miss Liddiard has previously tried to create heterotopia’s within her performances and this is no different with the puppets living her reality. The artists depicting her should focus on form and shape within the body but take care not to ignore the context surrounding the artist. This includes props, hair, makeup and the puppets.