Artist: Catherine Biocca
Exhibition title: Unfasten Seat Belt
Venue: Jeanine Hofland, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Date: June 4 – July 9, 2016
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Jeanine Hofland
A ‘cotton candy’ pink floor attacked with knives and hypodermic syringes, doodle-like subtle drawings of brutal figures and events depicted on domestic surfaces, and cartoonesque animations set out a seductive yet ‘unheimisch’ landscape within Catherine Biocca’s solo exhibition at the gallery entitled ‘Unfasten Seat Belt’.
This diverse and often unfamiliar use of media, harmless and cheerful animated figures executing the most painful events, and loosely drawn figures depicting hidden violent fantasies that can pop up when deeply frustrated, characterize the artist’s work. Masochistic themes and behaviour that is merged into the contrary aesthetic of the safe heaven. Within her art practice Catherine Biocca is interested in this dark side of the ordinary, or to put it in other words; the momentum where brutality and pure innocence meet and can co-exist. The split second when ‘schadenfreude’ is created; when we laugh about and enjoy the metal or physical pain of others.
Although Biocca sets out an unfamiliar stage of the absurd to articulate the latter, she simultaneously taps into an important art historical debate on form and content. On how art can create a leisure-like and deeply aesthetic experience whilst depicting the most brutal events – often emphasized by Biocca’s direct references to scenes from Greek and Roman mythology.
Catherine Biocca (Rome 1984) was an artist in residence at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam (2014-15) after graduating in 2013 from Düsseldorf Academy. Recent talks and exhibitions include; “Violence in Cartoon History”, Artist Talk at the Intitut Kunst HGK, Basel (8 June); “THE FEAR OF KILLING/ THE FEAR OF BEING KILLING KILLED ” at Le Foyer, Zurich (from 17 June); Greengrassi, London (from June 24). Recent solo shows include: PSM Gallery, Berlin; BILLBOARDSERIES at 019 DOK-NOORD, Ghent; ‘On Display’, Basis, Frankfurt; ‘MEETING 4D’, Silberkuppe, Berlin. In 2015 Biocca received the STRABAG art award and her work was included in several group shows among which: Ginko Art Space, Beijing; The 3rd Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, Yekaterinburg; New Media Festival, Miami. Catherine Biocca is one of the co-founders of the Amsterdam based project space ‘Jolly Joker’.
Catherine Biocca, Good spirits, 2016
Site specific installation, expanded foam panels, syringes and knifes, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Good spirits, 2016
Site specific installation, expanded foam panels, syringes and knifes, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Good spirits, 2016 (detail)
Site specific installation, expanded foam panels, syringes and knifes, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Good spirits, 2016 (detail)
Site specific installation, expanded foam panels, syringes and knifes, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Good spirits, 2016 (detail)
Site specific installation, expanded foam panels, syringes and knifes, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Sad in Venice, 2016
Video and audio installation, screen on screen-holder stand, industry marker and spray paint on wax cloth, aluminium pipes, flag holders, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Sad in Venice, 2016 (detail)
Video and audio installation, screen on screen-holder stand, industry marker and spray paint on wax cloth, aluminium pipes, flag holders, Dimensions variable
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016 (detail)
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016 (detail)
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016 (detail)
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Double C Corporate Clay, 2016 (video excerpt)
Video and audio installation, metal rack, pvc print, screen and active speakers, 280x200x150 cm
Catherine Biocca, Sad in Venice, 2016 (video excerpt)
Video and audio installation, screen on screen-holder stand, industry marker and spray paint on wax cloth, aluminium pipes, flag holders, Dimensions variable