Swiss Church in LondonEglise Suisse de LondresSchweizerkirche in LondonChiesa Svizzera a LondraBaselgia svizra a Londra

HOT DESQUE ‘Holding Cosmic Dust: An Almanac’

 

Friday 26th January 2024 | Private View 6 – 9pm

Hot Desque in conversation with historian Frederika Tevebring |  7pm

Free and booking is not required but recommended via Eventbrite as we would like to know the expected numbers.

Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th January | 4 – 8 pm

The Almanac video installation open. Free entry, no booking required.

 

Join us for Holding Cosmic Dust: An Almanac, a video installation by Hot Desque. Creating theatrical environments through their collaborative practice, with An Almanac Hot Desque alludes to the behind-the-scenes of a speculative archaeological dig in which a matriarchal society is uncovered. The installation draws out connections between archaeology, history and fantasy. It is delivered in conjunction with an exhibition intervention within the permanent, local archaeological collection of the Corinium Museum, in Cirencester.

At the Swiss Church, in a new video work, digital renderings, handmade drawings and metal embossings evoke a constellation of relics and remnants from the matriarchal society, found within a mysterious forest site. Highlighting processes of observational study and embellishment, who or what is making the analysis is left unknown.

The exhibition questions how knowledge is made or verified and the role fantasy plays in these processes. It emphasizes connections between multiple timescales at once and the role of the human hand in shaping stories. Humanity’s relationship to the past extends to the geological deep time, our species’ impact is questioned on planetary and ecological scales, and extinctions are not only a thing of the past but also the present and the future.

Talk:

During the private view at the Swiss Church, on 25th January 2024, Hot Desque will be in conversation with historian Frederika Tevebring, who contributed an essay to the accompanying publication. They will discuss Hot Desque’s worldbuilding practice, past and possible future matriarchial societies, fantasy in archaeology and the role of art in creating alternative narratives at times of planetary crises.

The collaborative video brings together artworks by Holly Graham, Rubie Green, Rebeca Romero, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Abel Shah and Suzanne Treister.

Learn more about Holding Cosmic Dust on the Corinium Museum website.