Can Tame Anything

Can Tame Anything extends and complements the exhibition Embodied Knowledge, proposing that critical theory and installation practices of the 1980s are foundational for contemporary art today. Relationships between the body and language are central to the work of Ruth Buchanan, Alicia Frankovich, Mata Aho Collective and Sriwhana Spong, artists who also engage the histories of women practitioners. The title, Can Tame Anything, was contributed by Buchanan, alongside several other works that emphasise physical and conceptual aspects of the gallery, exploring the relations of objects, bodies and buildings. Posthuman thinking underpins the work of Frankovich, who presents bodily experiences brought together with non-human forms. Mata Aho Collective champion maramatanga, a journey into the world of light, understanding and knowledge, for their new large-scale installation Tauira. Lastly, Spong focuses on the sensory engagement of language. These works express knowledge that is tacit, situated and experiential, stressing the influence of 1980s practices on contemporary art and the ongoing relevance of embodied knowledge for our understanding of the world.

RELATED EVENTS

Embodied Knowledge
07 Jul – 28 Oct 2018

Embodied Knowledge is a new exhibition presenting significant sculptural works made by artists during a tumultuous period of Aotearoa New Zealand’s art history. The artists challenged and dissected many aspects of the dominant culture they worked within, from the way language shapes our understanding of the world to environmental concerns.