Kader Attia: Void’s Geometries

Organisation: The British Museum

Time: 27 May 2010 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Place: Stevenson Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG

The British Museum presents:

Kader Attia

Void’s Geometries

Algerian/French artist Kader Attia screens and discusses the film he has made about an object from the Museum’s Islamic collection.

Franco-Algerian artist Kader Attia presents his new work Void’s Geometries in an evening at the British Museum. In this short film, Attia explores the paradoxical relationship between fullness and emptiness as well as the coexistence of Orient and Occident. Moreover, by focusing upon the glass fragments of a Zengid flask from the 12th century alongside a gold foot bracelet from the 20th century, Attia also draws links between classical Islamic arts and traditional craftsmanship from North Africa.

Venetia Porter, British Museum, will introduce Void’s Geometries with a presentation on the Zengid flask and its context in Islamic history. This will be followed by a screening of the short film and Attia will examine the role of this piece in light of his earlier works. Finally, Jessica Morgan, Tate, will discuss the work in conversation with Kader Attia before taking questions from the audience.

Thursday 27 May 2010 | 6.30-8pm

Stevenson Lecture Theatre, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG

Free event, booking advised.

Ways to book:
British Museum ticket desk in Great Court
Call 020 7323 8181
Click here book online

For more information contact the British Museum on:
T: 020 7323 829
E: information@britishmuseum.org
W: www.britishmuseum.org

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kader Attia was born in France to parents of Algerian origin, in 1970, and studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and at the Escola des Arts Applicades in Barcelona. His work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide, as well as several biennales.

Attia was nominated for the Marcel Duchamp prize in 2005 and was awarded the Prize of the Cairo Biennale in 2008. He is also one of the winners of the 2010 Abraaj Capital Art Prize.
 

Images above:
Fragmentary glass flask made for ‘Imad al-Din Zengi Atabeg (1127-1146), Mosul
Kader Attia Untitled (Ghardaia), 2009

ORGANISED WITH TATE