Beyond Reason

As a museum that has typically specialized in the dead artist, its always pretty exciting when we feature a living artist’s work. We have done this periodically over the years, but have been doing much more of it recently. This particular exhibition we opened this past week, Tim Shaw: Beyond Reason, has been on our tongues for quite some time. The installations and its subject matter in Tim Shaw’s first museum exhibition is nothing short of spectacular. The six psychologically charged environments included in the show address humanitarian issues designed to unsettle and provoke thought. Much edgier than most of the work I have ever seen at the museum, nerves and excitement were high at the opening celebration as we awaited reactions from our donors and special guests. Not surprisingly to me, overwhelming praise was received for both the charged topics in the show and the feelings it left them with.

With themes such as abuses of power, the threat of terrorism to the use of money to silence free speech, throwing a themed celebration for this exhibition was no small task. Rather than recreating any of the topics in event form, I instead focused on environmental change so that when you entered your mood was slightly altered before seeing the exhibition works. The amazing art, the dark decor and some pretty delicious and beautiful drinks and bites made for quite the enjoyable evening.

When selection a look for this event, I only knew I wanted something unique made from non traditional materials. I’ve recently become obsessed with a brand I connected with on Instagram called Jatual Paris. Their unique fabric usage really got me hooked and their vinyl capsule collection for Fall/Winter 2018/19 is really special. This is the first of many looks I will be featuring in my shoots by this brand. Below are the highlight shots from a couple my favorite ares of the exhibition and the event featuring my pretty spectacular purple vinyl dress by Jatual.

All photos by Bronson Pate of Bauman Photographers

MIDDLE WORLD, 1989-ONGOING
The Middle World is a large and highly complex sculptural installation created over twenty years. It consists of seventy separate small bronze and terracotta figures, arranged upon a 3m tall vessel that is part altar, part pinball machine. The sculpture is cast in steel reinforced cement.

MOTHER, THE AIR IS BLUE, THE AIR IS DANGEROUS, 2016
The installation recounts an early life experience of sitting in a restaurant in Belfast when a firebomb explodes on the floor below creating pandemonium. Chairs, tables, old clothes and shoes are scattered across the floor of a fabricated space. Slow moving shadows of people running are cast upon walls, dinner trays revolve through the air filled with haze, and the intense sound of many sirens radiate out from the corners of the room.

SOUL SNATCHER POSSESSION, 2011-2012
Influenced by a violent disturbance that took place on a street one night, Soul Snatcher Possession sets the scene of a ritual gangland killing or punishment beating. No weapon is visible, the perpetrators smile and gestures betray the moment just before some dreadful act is committed where fear fills the imagination. The installation is a metaphor for the violent extraction of soul, the manipulation of mind and the taking of life by the powerful, in order to perpetuate the myth that those with the power want to portray. It relates to the street, the corridors of governance and commerce.