The ninth winner of the esteemed Max Mara Art Prize for Women, Dominique White (b. 1993, United Kingdom), graces The Whitechapel Gallery with her new body of work, “Deadweight.” Set to be showcased from the 2nd of July through to the 15th of September in 2024, this exhibition promises an immersive experience into the world of ‘Blackness’, sea-power, and rebellion.
“Deadweight” is a thought-provoking collection of four large-scale sculptural works, offering a fresh take on rebellion and transformation. Drawing from nautical metaphors, White innovatively addresses the concepts of stability and disruption, breaking away from the traditional to offer a unique perspective on emancipation and abolition.
Through the artistic combination of force and fragility, White shapes metals into forms that seemingly echo elements such as anchors, carcasses, or ship hulls. These structures, once lost or abandoned, are reinvented through her treatment and metamorphose into symbols of defiance.
In a daring process, the sculptures were submerged in the Mediterranean Sea. This act, both physical and poetic, explores the transformative power of water on material objects. The resulting manifestations reveal the impact of seawater on the sculptures, exhibiting the rust and oxidation from the metals and the fragmentation of organic elements.
White interlaces concepts central to her artistic practice. Her works envision Afrofuturism, Afro-pessimism, and Hydrarchy, proposing alternative realities liberated from colonial influence and capitalist constraints. The artist’s ‘beacons’ prophesize a future for ‘Stateless’ Black communities caught in the uncharted waters of the world yet to come.
This pioneering collection, part of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women, originated from a unique proposal formulated by White. This proposal was actualized during a purposefully organized six-month residency by Collezione Maramotti. The residency involved travels, interactions with academia, and learnings from traditional and contemporary metalworking techniques, providing a wholesome support system for White’s artistic vision.
As a collaboration between The Whitechapel Gallery, Max Mara, and Collezione Maramotti, the Max Mara Art Prize for Women is a one-of-a-kind visual art prize that zealously supports and promotes emerging UK-based women artists. It provides the means, resources, and visibility to propagate ground-breaking work, aiding these artists in a decisive phase of their artistic journey.
Post its display at The Whitechapel Gallery, “Deadweight” will traverse to the esteemed Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy, to continue its impactful journey. In addition, a short documentary encapsulating White’s experience during her Italian residency and an exhibition catalogue will complement the exhibition, further enriching the audience’s understanding of the artist’s inspiration and journey.
