et al.
De Nieuwe Stem
- 2005
- Mixed media
- Purchased, 2007
- 1770 x 800mm
- 2007/039.a-d
Tags: assemblages (sculpture), easels, electric cables, headphones, journals (periodicals), sound (acoustics), words
In this work et al. have constructed an easel displaying a scan of the cover of De Nieuwe Stem, a left-wing intellectual Dutch journal published from 1946 until 1967. The accompanying 40-minute looped soundtrack is abstract, mocking and political. Extracts from speeches by Donald Rumsfeld and George Bush intone their justification for invading Iraq under the pretext of the existence of ‘weapons of mass destruction’. et al. have exhibited widely both nationally and internationally with their highly individualised amalgam of sculpture, philosophy, science and drawing. A major exhibition of their work, et al.: abnormal mass delusions? was held at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in 2003; they won The Walters Prize in 2004 and represented New Zealand with The Fundamental Practice at the Venice Biennale in 2005. Sadly, in 2008, L. Budd (active c.1992 – 2000), a member of the collective, passed away.
This work was made just after "The Fundamental Practice" and was exhibited in the Manhatten foyer of Saatchi and Saatchi. It consists of an easel and flourescent lights displaying a poster with text that reads: 'Thoroughly establish expressions of non-existence & so forth ... protecting the entire world from the 8 great terrors' Headphones that hang on the side of the easel relay a 40 minute looped message that is abstract, mocking and political. Speeches intone Rumsfield, Bush and their justification of invading Iraq under the pretext of the existence of 'weapons of mass destruction'. "De Nieuwe Stem" was a left wing intellectual Dutch journal published from 1946 until 1967. One of its publishers was instrumental in the publication of Anne Frank's diary. (2008)