Tonico Lemos Auad

Tonico Lemos Auad

17 March, 2009
by: Katuschka

Conceptual art is a funny old thing. It's the most radical and modern method of expression and simultaneously the most divisive medium in the art world. Like Marmite, you either love it or hate it; and like heavy metal if you don't get it then you just won't understand its appeal. Much like religion, conceptual art requires the viewer to invest in a set of intangible ideas and to view the piece in question as meaningful beyond its visible state.

However, when the piece you are investing in is a board with a cushion attached to it or a pile of bricks, scepticism is bound to pop up and say 'Hey wait a gosh darn minute…'. If you are on the 'what a load of old tripe' side of the fence, fair enough, you're unlikely to lose sleep over why that Kippenberger bloke is so popular. But for those such as myself who feel drawn to conceptual art but feel as though the form will forever be swooshing over their heads, artists such as Tonico Lemos Auad offer up something a little more palatable.

Moving on from drawing faces on bananas, Auad's work, showing at the Stephen Friedman Gallery is gentle conceptualism with a craft sensibility. It invites the punter to interact with the art and elicit a transitory reaction. That may sound like a knobs-and-buttons affair with crayons and fingerpainting, but artistic reverence must still be observed. Auad's piece Reflected Archaeology asks the viewer to scratch away the silver-ink surface like a lottery ticket, to reveal, not winning numbers, but drawings which are offered to a Brazilian sea goddess; juxtaposing two instances of misplaced faith.

Aside from this, any further 'interaction' is more philosophical in nature, and it's probably for the best. Part of Auad's appeal is the fragile nature of his work: delicate chains hang from the ceiling like spiderwebs or frail chandeliers (Swings); a rowing boat made of felt is rendered functionally useless, but changed into a poignant symbol of the outmoded; and an assemblage of pictures forming a charm bracelet shows the power of symbols even when reduced to miniscule sizes. Conceptual it may be, but with both everyday and marginal objects as a visual reference and enough skill on show to counteract any pretentiousness. Auad shares his findings excitedly with his audience and not just those familiar with art speak.

The exhibition is small but Auad's work suits intimate spaces. Much like Ceal Floyer's work it does not demand attention and its subtlety could be imperceptible in a larger gallery. His work requires an open mind from the non-believers: at the end of the day, a felt rowing boat is, well, a felt rowing boat. But anyone willing to open their arms and embrace conceptual art with all its lumpy corners is in for a real treat. Because this is some of the daintiest and most accessible around.

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