Press Release
Maybe Too Nude
Paula Rae Gibson
Photography Exhibition at ROLLO Contemporary Art
18 th April – 24 th May 2008
Curated by Philippa Found
Image: Paula Rae Gibson Is This About Me or You , One Off Photograph, 40 x 30 in.
Photography Exhibition at ROLLO Contemporary Art
Curated by Philippa Found
Private View: 17th April 6.30 – 8.30, ROLLO Contemporary Art, 51 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JH
ROLLO Contemporary Art's photography exhibition ‘ Maybe Too Nude ' will investigate the use of the female body in the work of female artist, Paula Rae Gibson.
Looking at the role of the female as artist and model, object and subject ROLLO's exhibition will contribute to the current dialogue on female art.
Sexy sepia images of the body inscribed with hand written texts powerfully communicate Gibson's personal experiences of desire and loss. Chemically treating her images so to damage them as she develops them, the body appears to dissolve into the paper.
This unique process creates images with a painterly aesthetic, highly evocative of a past age, in direct opposition to the current trend of instant digital art. The results are ephemeral and haunting ONE OFF photographs, laced with an unnerving surrealist edge.
Paula Rae Gibson is a singer and video artist as well as photographer. Signed to Babel Label and Jazz 33, Gibson has two music albums; ‘No More Tip Toes' and forthcoming ‘Maybe Too Nude'; the release of which will coincide with the exhibition at ROLLO. Gibson will also be performing her album at a happening at ROLLO contemporary art during the exhibition and will be performing at the renowned Vortex jazz club whilst projecting her video art over her body as she sings. Gibson's work in film; writing and acting in ‘What Are You Doing Forever' gained critical acclaim touring US film festival TFFC. Her photography book, ‘Diary of a Love Addict' was nominated for the ‘Deutscher Fotobuchpreis 2007' (German photobook award), subsequently a second book has been published ‘I'll Always Walk Away'. Gibson's photography is currently on show in Germany with a forthcoming exhibition in the US.
In her photographs Gibson is both model and artist.
Curator Philippa Found's selection ‘ Maybe Too Nude ' engages with feminist theorists - such as Germaine Greer's- criticisms of the use of the female artists body in art (‘The connection between art and exhibitionism' Guardian, 28th January 2008) and suggests Gibson's work is neither gratuitous nor narcissistic but necessary in her highly autobiographical work. On the use of her body Gibson says: making yourself the subject is more of a statement and screams what you're trying to say as opposed to the whisper of using a model.
Found suggests that Gibson's nudes are empowering and emblematic of a modern ‘femininity'. Desiring and desirous, in control and vulnerable, Gibson's nudes unashamedly explore the complexities of female identity, love and loss.
Gibson's texts - hand written directly over her photographs - obscure her images and thus challenge easy consumption of the naked body – vocalizing a female experience.
Maybe Too Nude – Is This About Me or You?
For further details please contact Philippa Found, 020 7580 0020 or philippa@rolloart.com ROLLO Contemporary Art, 51 Cleveland Street , London W1T 4JH www.rolloart.com
The artist is available for interview – contact Philippa Found
1% of all exhibition sales proceeds will be donated from ROLLO Contemporary Art to the Alzheimer Charity.
