[spectre] Trinity Session debut solo exhibition

[Marcus Neustetter]

PRESS RELEASE + INVITATION

M.O: Trinity Session Artministration

Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg, SA

May 20 - June 21

Opens at 6pm with guest speaker Penny Siopis

What happens when three artists begin to work together? ˆ Who is
responsible for the work produced? ˆ How does this begin to change
the way we think about authorship or individual ownership? ˆ What is
creative business practice? ˆ How is this important for the way
contemporary art is discussed, criticised, managed and published?

Occupying both downstairs galleries, M.O: Trinity Session
Artministration is the trinity sessionâs first solo exhibition, a
information and artifact show presented as a self-critical Îportraitâ
and autopsy of the trinity sessionâs work ethic and strategies.

the trinity session is a challenging, Johannesburg-based independent
contemporary art production team practising in public/social art
projects, project initiation and production, curating, research and
critical writing, directed by three multidisciplinary artists
(Stephen Hobbs, Marcus Neustetter and Kathryn Smith).

the trinity session was founded at the end of 2000 in direct response
to a radical change in how the local artworld was structured, with
several galleries and institutions closing or restructuring in the
face of a tight economic climate less favourable to contemporary arts
and culture. This meant fewer opportunities for publishing or
exhibiting experimental work by young, cutting edge contemporary
producers. Working collaboratively, sharing resources and benefiting
from each othersâ respective areas of specialization (urban
development, body politics and digital/electronic media) has seen the
trinity session grow from a small communal office in Greenside to
occupying substantial space at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre and
looking forward to launching the new-look PREMISES gallery at the end
of 2003 on the Braamfontein Theatre Precinct.

M.O: Trinity Session Artministration presents almost two yearsâ worth
of trinity session projects, ranging from artistic experimentation to
applying similar skills to research-based or commercial projects. The
exhibition is divided into two distinctive areas, one focusing more
on the idea of Îproject artifactsâ, presented as a multimedia
installation that will integrate the viewer in an audio-visual
sensation of multi-layered drawn, projected and screen-based content.
In the adjacent gallery, information will be clearly laid out to
introduce a range of contemporary art practice and alternative
strategies to taking on the complex nature of working as artists,
curators, administrators and facilitators, as well as a business.
Presented as both critical and tongue-in-cheek, these definitions,
documents and diagrams can be used to navigate oneâs way through the
exhibition, laying bare the intellectual property that makes up so
much of what the trinity session is about.

The M.O of the title refers to both Îmodus operandiâ and Îmobile
officeâ, two requirements developed in response to common needs
expressed by a growing network of artists and colleagues. Where
possible, the trinity session acts as a facilitator, collaborating
with or publicising young artists in various ways (international
festivals, broadcast ö online and television). This facilitation that
takes advantage of building a knowledge-base while taking care of
promotion and collaboration. Because of previous, individual
experiences around knowledge-building processes (research and
networking) and group practices (curating exhibitions, project
management, international travel), the trinity session occupies a
relatively sophisticated position in relation to local and global
contemporary art practices, which enables the unit to use particular
power relationships towards building a more solid infrastructure for
the local visual arts context and developing local content thatâs not
being adequately archived and showcased.

The exhibition will have a strong educational aspect, including guest
speakers and an information handout.

for media queries and images, please contact Glam Slam:

Ira Halpern 083 226 8221

Adilia Texeira 072 398 2525

for more information please contact:

Stephen Hobbs 082 897 7498

Kathryn Smith 082 773 7033

Marcus Neustetter 082 929 1569