This exhibition is part of Les Ateliers de Rennes – Biennial of contemporary art

40mcube
48, avenue Sergent Maginot
35000 Rennes

The work of Oscar Murillo is comprised of paintings, sculptures, videos and performances, and takes the shape of installations that preserve traces of former use. Although his works can be autonomous and viewed individually, it is truly within the exhibition itself, wherein the artist assembles all different mediums and aspects of his art, that they are truly able to find their meaning. For his solo exhibition at 40mcube for the occasion of the Ateliers de Rennes – Biennial of contemporary art, he presents a series of new works, one of which is a permanent performance that the public can activate.

Murillo ’s works are autonomous pieces that can be comprehended individually, but their full sense appears more clearly when they are seen together. In a single exhibition, Murillo often uses the whole range of mediums that he works with. His installations also gather works made using different production systems (handmade/industrial, individual/collective). He realizes both paintings in a traditional way and a serial production of concrete spherical sculptures, and he also works with construction materials. He uses different economic systems and production networks, and sometimes hires people or asks companies to take part to the production of his works.

Murillo often uses the exhibition space as a studio. He creates some of his works there and even sometimes presents them unfinished. His paintings can lie on the floor as if the artist was still working on it. For Murillo, the studio is not only a production space, but also a place to live, to party or to fulfill leisure activities. He indeed introduces in his work daily activities such as yoga, dance, cooking, cleaning, playing bingo, etc., all of which are influenced by the artist both colombian and english culture.

Murillo constantly places his productions within activities related to work or leisure and organizes moments of everyday life that are performed in the exhibition space or that are video-recorded and then projected in the exhibition. His practice is a continual comings and goings between the action and its representation, and Murillo rephrases it in each of his exhibition.

Considering the exhibition space as a studio and the studio as a living place, Oscar Murillo ’s projects are experiences that the public has to live. The performances that Murillo organizes gather people of different origins and can either be seen as parties, yoga sessions, lottery draws or works of art, depending on the people who attend it or who take part in it.

Oscar Murillo is represented by David Zwirner (New York, London) and Carlos/Ishikawa (London).