Public Gallery is set to embark on a new chapter with its inaugural exhibition “00:00:01” in its expanded space at 89 – 91 Middlesex Street, London. This thought-provoking showcase brings together 18 artists whose works explore themes of new beginnings, community structures, and acts of solidarity.
The exhibition’s title, “00:00:01,” evokes the resetting of a clock or the first moments of a new day, drawing inspiration from the Zen Buddhist concept of shoshin, or “beginner’s mind.” This philosophy encourages approaching knowledge with humility and openness, embracing doubt and learning as pathways to expansion through compassion and gratitude.
Visitors to the exhibition will encounter a diverse array of artistic expressions. Christian Quin Newell’s paintings serve as exercises in thinking, depicting protagonists on journeys of curiosity and meditation. In contrast, Yi To’s fossilized compositions speak to a pre-narrative state, with hieroglyphic signatures emerging from layers of watered-down oil paint and marble dust, echoing archeological discoveries and the sheltered world of a mother’s womb.
The exhibition also features works that address themes of memory, family history, and diaspora. Abbas Zahedi’s practice maps social spaces through sound, performance, and community-based interaction, with a small paperweight sculpture serving as a remnant from a lecture exploring acts of care during difficult times. Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley’s contribution, a sculptural rendering of an avatar from her video game “I CAN’T FOLLOW YOU ANYMORE,” visualizes the act of community building through the accumulation of followers and allies.
Demonstrations of solidarity take center stage in Igshaan Adams’ woven tapestry, created in collaboration with asylum-seeking craftswomen from the Scalabrini Center of Cape Town. This piece not only showcases artistic skill but also raised funds to support the legal fees for regularizing the group’s immigration status. Mandy El-Sayegh’s site-specific installation further explores themes of solidarity, presenting three paintings from her Burning Square series alongside found objects and personal archive items, blurring the lines between art and the everyday.
The exhibition space itself plays a significant role in the narrative of “00:00:01.” Having operated as a textile shop for over 40 years, the gallery retains its characteristic linoleum floors and rows of wooden shelving. This juxtaposition of old and new encourages visitors to view the familiar with fresh eyes, memorializing the past while embracing the future.
“00:00:01” invites art enthusiasts and curious minds alike to explore new perspectives and contemplate the world we wish to inhabit. The exhibition opens its doors on Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 6 to 9 pm, and will run until February 15, 2025, at Public Gallery’s expanded space located at 89 – 91 Middlesex St, London E1 7DA, UK.
