‘Boundaries Obscured’ at Haunch of Venison

A group exhibition, entitled ‘Boundaries Obscured’ marks Haunch of Venison’s move to the heart of Chelsea’s gallery district.

The exhibition includes a painting by renowned American artist Peter Saul, whose recent solo exhibition at Haunch of Venison received critical acclaim. Saul is celebrated for his politically charged paintings that comment ironically on current events and public figures. Another highlight of the exhibition is German sculptor Günther Uecker’s ‘Aschemensch (Ash Man)’, a seminal painting from the artist’s only figurative series.

Uecker created the work in 1986 as a reaction to the Chernobyl catastrophe. The work features an ambiguous human figure engulfed in sporadic black drips of paint, alluding to the radioactive materials that invaded Chernobyl.

Iraqi born artist Ahmed Alsoudani will exhibit new work responding to issues of terrorism, human conflict and dictatorial suppression. Australian artist Patricia Piccinini, who currently has a major mid-career survey at Art Gallery of South Australia, will exhibit her mixed media sculpture titled Eulogy from 2011.

Piccinini examines humans’ complex relationships with technology and animals and in this featured work specifically comments on human impact on other life forms. Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, who was recently commissioned to have a solo exhibition at Versailles in 2012, will exhibit a new piece.

Vasconcelos is best known for her readymade sculptures inspired by Nouveau-realisme and focuses on identity politics pertaining to gender and nationality. Major cities and rural enclaves are no longer distinct entities that operate in opposite contexts. Thus the featured artists depict both urban and rural scenes, addressing universal issues such as war, violence, politics, sex and eroticism, drugs, class, science and technology, waste and excess.

India’s Jitish Kallat also forms part of the show. Lauding his works, a gallery note states: “Many of them focus on Mumbai's downtrodden or dispossessed inhabitants, though treating them in a bold, colourful and highly graphic manner.”