Nedko Solakov "Mess"

‘For 'Mess', the exhibition at De Appel, Solakov shows A (not so) White Cube, in which he ventures outside as well as inside the art world, inscribing the white walls of the exhibition space with humorous comments and drawings. When entering the room the visitor will get the impression that there is no show at all, only weirdly looking kneeling people in an empty space. A Wallpaper offers a similar appearance -suddenly a kitschy, flowery wallpaper appears. In between the garlands and flower patterns he pencilled minuscule drawings and texts. In his site-specific installation Curators as Artists Solakov will try to involve the students of the Curatorial Training Programme (CTP) of De Appel in unusual artistic activities, asking them to react on the idea of the Black Box. The biggest work called 20.10.2001 wraps up all pieces with its ultimate absence of common sense – revealing the simultaneously performed 'silly activities' of 4 pairs of wall painters in Munich, Venice, Dublin and Glasgow, while the artist himself was imitating the painters' job in his Stockholm studio. The base for 20.10.2001 was his project A life (Black & White)(1998-2002), when two painters constantly repainted the walls of the space in black and white, day after day, for the entire duration of the exhibition. But 20.10.2001 is not simply documenting A life (Black & White) in different venues: a simultaneous presentation of nine people's Sisyphus-like labour. Since the mid-nineties, Bulgarian artist Nedko Solakov has, in numerous installations, kept a running commentary going on the art world with its masterpieces and collectors, its museum directors and curators. Many of his subjects arise from the everyday experiences of an artist and from the relationship the artist has with institutes such as museums, galleries and art centres. By his narrative tales, often containing many levels of meaning, the visitor is compelled to read carefully. This is saved from being an arduous task by dint of Solakov's airy and entertaining tone. The instruments Solakov uses to dismantle art and actuality, are his sense of humour and his witty, consciously naïve view on the world in which we live.’ (Press release De Appel) Catalogue: Nedko Solakov, 2002. Text: Ami Barak, Henk Slager. Dutch & English. Bio- & bibliography incl. Soft cover. 48 pp., b.w., 21 x 21 cm. Design: Irma Boom. ISBN 90 73501 59. € 20,-.