the Spine

'‘Spine’ means backbone as well as core and centre. This term was coined for an art exhibition that dealt with essential social problems. Tiong Ang focused on the physical violence and the mutilation of eyes that is presented to us in newspaper pictures and movies, and at different levels analysed just how much the eye can bear. In her performance as a ‘human paintbrush’ (she painted the entire floor with her hair, thereby pushing the viewing public out of the room at the same time), Janine Antoni not only drew attention to the influence of the cosmetics industry on women, but also expressed the ambiguous attitude of the artist towards his public. Christine Borland made references to shoot-outs by putting human remains, traces and practice dummies on display. In his photographs of scrap heaps and places where bomb attacks were carried out, Willie Doherty showed the daily reality of life in Derry, Ireland. The position of the infirm in society was expressed in the work of Pepe Espaliú, who died of AIDS two months before the opening of the exhibition. His black metal sculptures, which gradually evoke the memory of sedan chairs, refer to the untouchable position of a sick person but also give him a melancholy grandeur. Doris Salcedo commented on the horrific disappearances that took place in her country, where men were hauled from their beds and never returned. Salcedo’s work expressed the desolation of the powerless women who were left behind. Janine Antoni’s performance marked not only the opening of the exhibition but also the opening of the new location of De Appel on the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. Irma Boom’s design for the catalogue was inspired by the meaning of ‘spine’ as the back of a book’s binding. The monographs were combined with an introductory text to result in six individual booklets that were stitched together by hand. This publication was nominated for the Best Book Design Award 1994.' (Press release De Appel) Catalogue: The Spine. Tiong Ang, Janine Antoni, Christine Borland, Willie Doherty, Pepe Espaliù, Doris Salcedo, 1994. Text by Saskia Bos, Edna van Duyn. Dutch & English. 56 Pages: 9 f.c., 14.7 x 21 cm. Softcover. Design: Irma Boom. SOLD OUT