Oliver Payne

Tokyo

The exhibition Oliver Payne Solo Exhibition of New Works features a new installation based on the theme of „camp“. Since ancient times, we have built camps as a means to rest during the night while on a journey. We built fire to keep wild beasts away, took warmth from that fire, and cooked using that fire, actions which have become acts of leisure, and which also represent the breadth of human innovation. The camp built by Payne is, in a word, hardcore. An intimidating black tent covered in countless needles to prevent anyone from coming near; a concrete video game console; a canvas with climbing holds pasted onto it; all bizarrely presenting the boundary between „game brain“ virtual reality-like thinking and our daily lives. Oliver Payne’s work takes that which we recognize as common knowledge within a world context, flattens it, and boldly shifts the angle to present us with a new vision.

After studying at the Kingston University Faculty of Art and Design in England, Oliver Payne began working in collaboration with Nick Relph during the late 1990s, together creating video and installation work based on skating, hardcore music, punk, graffiti, and other street culture. He has had an extraordinarily bright career as a young artist, together with Relph winning the Golden Lion award in the young artist category at the 50th Annual Venice Biennale (2003) and having exhibited their collaborative work in solo exhibitions at Kunsthaus Zürich (2004) and at the Serpentine Gallery in London (2006). In Japan, they have showcased their work at Art Tower Mito (Lonely Planet exhibition, 2004) and at the Yokohama Triennale (2008). In 2009, Payne and Relph moved on to work separately as solo artists, and Payne has since been creating work mainly around the subject of Japanese subcultures.

Nanzuka

April 14th – May 26th, 2012
Shibuya Ibis Build #B1F
2-17-3 Shibuya Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-0002
Japan

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