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Veronika Neukirch

MA work

Geisterbahn

This body of work deals with some of the ideas related to Hauntology; hinting at all artworks being haunted by the ghosts of art history, as well as the artist’s personal ghosts. Tongue firmly in cheek, these sentiments are embodied in several recurring ghostly forms.

Both amorphous abstract shapes, and inanimate objects are imbued with a certain humanity that pushes them towards figuration to various degrees. The works display a type of autonomy, as they hang and hold themselves together via the functionality of their components, physiognomy and pose.

With a focus on investigating our strangely close relationship with objects, within a playful cartoon logic, my practice aims to chirpily encourage an overspill of human compassion onto the inanimate.

Info

  • MA Degree

    School

    School of Arts & Humanities

    Programme

    MA Sculpture, 2019

  • The work always consists of two types of components – handmade and readymade. The mass-produced elements are chosen for their haptic properties, which are naturally predesigned and correlate to their preconceived functions. They impact heavily on the made element's requirement to fit aesthetically, as well as facilitate specific ways of display, which in turn re-contextualises the readymade components.

    New roles are created that use, misuse and go beyond predetermined purposes, activating surrounding spaces in altered ways. On one hand, themes of functionality and domestic modes of display are explored within the field of art, which notoriously lacks practical function. On the other hand, various functional familiar objects become metaphors for complex emotional situations that often facilitate autobiographical impressions being downloaded into the work.

    The final outcome is simultaneously sincere and silly, cheerful but awkward, distinctly exhibiting an informed naivety and faux self-awareness.

  • Degrees

  • BA Fine Art (Hons), Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 2013; Foundation in Art and Design, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, 2010
  • Experience

  • Visiting tutor in Fine Art Mixed Media, Westminster College, London, 2019; Visiting tutor in Fine Art, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, 2018–2019; Visiting tutor in Sculpture, Wimbledon College, London, 2019; Workshop leader, ‘Testing Ground’ at Zabludowicz Collection, London, 2019; Residency, Merzbarn, Ambleside, 2018; International artist in residence, Rimbun Dahan, Kuang, Malaysia, 2017; 'hafka' book launch, Ilham Contemporary, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2017
  • Exhibitions

  • Teaser, Darwin Galleries, London, 2019; Brexhibition, Royal College of Art, London, 2019; Merzhibition 2 (curator), Courtyard Gallery, London, 2019; Sculpture Petting Zoo, Hockney Gallery, London, 2019; [ ] White [City] Cube [ ] curated by Mina Song, WhiteCityPlace, London, 2018; RCA Secret, Royal College of Art, London, 2018; Extended Call, Subsidiary Projects, London, 2018; SUPERCULT 1 (co-curator), Hockney Gallery, London, 2018; Ode to Trouble, Hello Dust Collective, Bergen, 2018; Vending Art curated by Ivan Lam, Art Stage, Singapore, 2017; Extending Ideas, Museum Negeri Pulau Pinang USM & Feeka, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2016; RIPEN AT HOME (solo), Minut Init, Malaysia, 2015
  • Awards

  • Gilbert Bayes Award, 2019; Goethe Institute Malaysia, residency grant, 2017
  • Publications

  • (in collaboration with) Haffendi Anuar, 'hafka', 9789671521809, 2017; Richard Orjis, 'Rimbun Dahan Herbal', 2017; (in collaboration with Minut Init's) James Ly, 'RIPEN AT HOME', 2015