Unearthly Pursuits

Almine Rech is pleased to present Unearthly Pursuits, Genieve Figgis' upcoming solo exhibition in Venice. Genieve Figgis is fascinated by how people interact with their environments: the choices they make, the way they perform. In Unearthly Pursuits, her figures blend in, yet stand out uncannily. Genieve Figgis' new exhibition evokes the allure of Venice, where visitors come to enact a romanticized version of history, a history they were never actually part of. Figgis depicts a time long before technology, while hinting at the charade of contemporary life with figures pursuing an idea of perfection: proudly posing as they glide past on a gondola; chitchatting at lavish parties; coquettishly enjoying slow city strolls in frilly costumes. Whilst smiling politely, they seem acutely aware that they are being observed. Despite their endearing efforts to blend in and appear normal, they cannot mask their yearnings, their envy or their awkwardness. Genieve Figgis is celebrated for her unique way of trusting paint to run unpredictably over the canvas, an unconscious and rebellious process in which magical things can happen. She embraces fluidity and innocence, the exciting thrill of possible failure. As her figures are rendered freely in acrylic paint, she sets them free, encouraging them to reveal their unrestrained, unconventional and fantastical nature. In her world, one can be any colour, age, shape or size, and exist without judgment. We look on as her figures appear, seduce, pursue and perform harmoniously in a reality where dogmatic expectations and ideals dissolve, allowing individuality, humour and strangeness to reign. Genieve Figgis was born in Dublin in 1972. She lives and works in County Wicklow, Ireland. —Elisa De Wyngaert, Curator at MoMu Fashion Museum Antwerp.

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Dorsoduro 920, Fondamenta Zattere Ai Gesuati

Venice, NY