“Certain people are over and over proclaiming to the world that democracy must spread to the whole civilised world. Salvation lies in making the whole of humanity democratic; everything will have to be smashed to pieces so that democracy may spread in the world. Well, if people go on to accept ideas presented to them as they are, with wholesale acceptance of the term democracy, for instance, their idea of democracy will be like the definition of a human being which I gave you: 'A human being is a creature with two legs and without feathers: a plucked cockerel’. Concepts are taken for reality, and as a result illusion may take the place of reality where human life is concerned by lulling people to sleep with concepts.”
“It is interesting to note that in 1910 someone (the French economist Francis Delaisi) wrote that large-scale capitalism had succeeded in making democracy into the most effective tool for exploiting the whole population. Financiers were usually imagined to be the enemies of democracy, an individual concerned wrote, but this was a fundamental error. On the contrary, they run democracy and encourage it, for it provides a screen behind which they can hide their method of exploitation, and find it their best defence against any objections which the populace may raise. "
"For once therefore a man woke up and saw that what mattered was not to proclaim democracy but to see the full reality, not to follow slogans, but to see things as they really are. This would be particularly important today, for people would then realize that the events which reign with such blood and terror over the whole of humanity are guided from just a few centres.”
Rudolf Steiner speaking in 1917
Stephen Rennicks, the Leitrim based conceptual artist, has a solo show entitled 'With and Without Context' at the Mantua Project House, Co. Roscommon on 20th October 2007 from 8pm. The two exhibition rooms there will feature mostly new and previously unseen work produced by the artist since moving from his Dublin base over 2 years ago. One room explores the artists influences, the other concentrates on new work. His show will run the art practice gamut to include paper collage, found art, charcoal and line drawing, sound, video, xerox, photography and installation. Such variety is possible because as this is his first truly solo exhibition in such a large space he is taking it as an opportunity to show a wide cross section of the work which he has been amassing naturally in his practice outside of specific projects or commissions, hence the show's title.
Since moving to Co. Leitrim, Stephen Rennicks has, amongst other things, exhibited the second part of his ‘Black Lough’ trilogy at Carrick-on-Shannon’s premier exhibition space The Dock, left CDs of his sound piece ‘Time’ on the door of the Costello Memorial Chapel and given CD copies of ‘Temporary Residence’ to each of the residents of the Marymount apartment complex to mark the end of his stay there.
The centre piece of the influences room, ‘More Than a Music Seat’, is a sculpture of a particularly comfortable looking armchair made entirely from roughly 10 years worth of back issues of what was once known as the ‘weekly UK music press’, magazines such as NME, Melody Maker and Sounds. Now obsolete but from the artists collection so plenteous in numbers and bulk as to create a chair as homage, on a surface level, to all the sitting down and reading they have inspired in him. The inspiration they provided for him as first contact point with so many ‘underground’ artists and their idea’s is more subtly represented. This piece in particular has long been envisaged by the artist but could not until now find a suitable outlet.
The show also marks the return of 'Spirit Recorder', previously unveiled during the 2005 Carrigallen Arts Festival in Co. Leitrim and now back by popular demand in an updated and expanded fashion! Also on show will be the first public glimpse of the artists long term 'Everyday Actions' project.
Stephen Rennicks would like to thank everyone involved with the artist led Mantua Arts Project for both inviting him to show his work and continuing to provide such a necessary outlet for artists working in the Roscommon area. For more information on them go to
http://www.mantuaproject.com/ and for more information on the artist go to
www.freewebs.com/stephenrennicksThe Mantua project house is sign posted and can be located on the right hand side when travelling the R369 road between Elphin and Bellanagare.
This show is offically open only for the opening night but will be left up to view for a few days, can't promise that video and audio will always be switchwed on but rest will be present and correct. Should be someone there to let you in.
