Exposing the contrasts of human experiences, doubleTHINK showcases new work by exciting early career artists Bex Blayney and Alegria Repila Smith. Exploring themes of duality, such as violence and victimhood and the serious versus the absurd, Blayney and Repila Smith aim to disturb the established patterns of behaviours and beliefs in today’s society. By working in close proximity, the artists become each other’s double and opposite, complimenting and contradicting each other, in order to create large-scale sculptures.
In a world engrossed in moral showboating (a behaviour to attract attention), Blayney’s work challenges behaviour codes, using humour to raise questions about the morality of our current ethical and political state. Her works are sculptural machines with human-like qualities, which often breathe a sense of danger. Meanwhile, the ambiguity of the sculptures leave the viewer uncertain. Bordering on performative, Blayney’s work acknowledges the Sisyphean cycle of the everyday in our muddled world – pointless or endless activities, within a knowing sense of absurdity at its core.
Working within moral grey areas or regions some may find uncomfortable, Repila Smith explores old narratives that she then reinspects, revealing the contradictions within our understanding of right and wrong; light versus dark. By creating sculptures and installations which probe both sides of the story, Repila Smith hopes to invite discussion and re-evaluation of pre-existing perceptions of events. Exposing the conflicting forces within the human psyche, the artist’s ultimate aim is to acknowledge our double standards, making peace with our fallible selves.
Supported by The Art House and Wakefield Cathedral, the artists explore the potential of exhibition in a non-gallery space; reaching new audiences and developing their skills in curation.