Remai Modern announces new web commission by Taysir Batniji
Saskatoon, Canada — Remai Modern is very pleased to announce its latest web commission, Wallpaper-WV, by renowned Palestinian artist Taysir Batniji. The October 1-31 project is curated by Gregory Burke, Executive Director & CEO, and Sandra Guimarães, Director of Programs & Chief Curator at Remai Modern.
Taysir Batniji started his wallpaper series in early 2015 following the violent attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical, Paris-based newspaper. He began collecting hundreds of images of war and conflict from the internet: bombings, weapons, arrests and casualties. Using these images to generate simple graphic elements, the artist reworked them into patterned designs. At first glance, the subject matter is easily lost in the colourful, decorative motifs. And then the shocking content registers.
“As a Palestinian artist based in Paris, Taysir Batniji frequently focuses his artwork on the dislocation of peoples from their homelands,” said Burke. “In light of the current plight of Syrian refugees, his web commission reminds us of recent wars and conflicts and their terrible effects. The work also underscores how repeated broadcasting of images related to such conflicts desensitizes us to the human suffering associated with them.”
“We are very happy to present this new web commission by Taysir Batniji,” said Guimarães. “In his provocative work, he continually tests new forms and questions representation. In appropriating media images, he challenges their familiarity.”
About Taysir Batniji
Taysir Batniji (b. Gaza, 1966) studied art at Al-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine. In 1994, he was awarded a fellowship to study at the School of Fine Arts in Bourges, France. Since then, he has divided his time between France and Palestine, developing a multimedia practice that includes drawing, installation, photography, video and performance. Active in the Palestinian art scene since the 1990s, Batniji has participated in numerous exhibitions, biennials and residencies in Europe and around the world. He received the Abraaj Goup Art Prize in 2012. His works can be found in the collections of the Centre Pompidou and FNAC, France; the Victoria and Albert Museum and Imperial War Museums, London; Queensland Art Gallery, Australia; and Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi.
About Remai Modern Web Commissions
In association with its pre-launch program, Remai Modern has been inviting artists to realize original projects exclusively for online viewing. On the first day of every month, work by a new artist appears on Remai Modern’s homepage. Past commissions are now accessible in the online archive. Through these commissions, the museum considers its website as an extension of its physical space and onsite program. Mobile and experimental, this online gallery allows for direct, personal encounters with art while connecting artists and audiences across the globe.
About Remai Modern
To open in 2017, Remai Modern is a visionary new art museum. The building, by leading Canadian architects KPMB, is at Saskatoon’s River Landing. Remai Modern, home to the world’s foremost collection of Picasso linocut prints, will offer transformative art experiences and innovative programming.
For further information, contact:
Sheila Robertson
Communications Manager
Ph +1 306 975-2242
srobertson@remaimodern.org
www.remaimodern.org
Remai Modern gratefully acknowledges funding from the City of Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Canada Council for the Arts and SaskCulture.