A balcony is an architectural protuberance that extends out from the shell of the building into space, out into the public sphere. It is a place at which to be observed or to observe from. “balcony” is also the last word in a novel by Jerzy Kosinski about a boy who becomes mute.
In an exhibition produced during a three month stay in Beijing during the spring of 2016, Andreas Gedin focuses on the relations and tensions between the public and the private spheres. An individual’s voice for example is directed from the private towards the others, to the public. And when someone is silenced, he or she is restricted to the private. However the private space is also like a darkroom where images can be developed and texts written in secret to later be displayed to the world.
As a fastidious observer of Pekinese life, Gedin takes cues from everyday scenes to create links to his own catalogue of references: the Polish-American author Jerzy Kosinski, an owner of a small shop for bird cages and aquaria’s in the district of Dongcheng and the city of Beijing itself.
For Black Sesame Space Andreas Gedin has created a microcosm, a personal web of meanings that opens up new diplomatic relations between the gallery space, the world of literature and the familiar world outside. Gedin composes riddles in which language and physical elements are intertwined. Drawing from historical and political events – whether real or fictional becomes irrelevant – he recreates a complex scene with structural precision and pathos.
Opening June 25th, 4-8 pm
Exhibition open June 25th - July 13th
Black Sesame Space
Heizhima hutong 13
Dongcheng District, Beijing
For a scheduled visit please contact us on +8618612838004
This residency is supported by IASPIS