on Toshareproject.it - curated by Bruce Sterling
Schemes of Belligerence
Cian Dayrit
Thursday, 14 September, 6–9 PM
/ English version / German version below
Berlin, 22 August 2023
NOME is pleased to announce Schemes of Belligerence, Cian Dayrit’s third solo exhibition with the gallery. Cian Dayrit’s interdisciplinary practice explores the intersecting narratives of the Philippines’ complex past and present realities. Engaging ethnography, archaeology, history, and mythology, Dayrit’s works often examine the consequences of colonialism, exploring how it has shaped and continues to influence societies, identities, and power dynamics. Although rooted in narratives related to Southeast Asia, the exhibition reflects more broadly on the proliferation of fascist regimes and the cultures and norms such regimes inflict on people. As Dayrit explains in an interview, “One must develop a deeper connection to human experiences and recognize the material conditions that dictate these narratives. Only in solidarity with the struggles of the people can we truly translate, at least, dynamics of exploitation.”
The show delves into the lasting influence of military conquests and the subsequent militarization of the Philippines. The exhibition’s title work Schemes of Belligerence takes the form of a multipart installation comprising embroidered quilts and sculptures that examine the martial culture of the neocolonies. The mixed media work Imperial Puppet Regalia reflects on the collective experiences of militarism as experienced within the broader context of Southeast Asia. Richly embroidered tapestries, finely wrought wooden marionettes depicting warmongering figures, and various forms of military paraphernalia delineate patterns of imperialism and militarism as they intersect with contemporary issues such as martial lockdowns related to CoVID, activist crackdowns, the killings of peasant and indigenous leaders, journalists, lawyers, and rights defenders, as well as the appointment of military officials to government positions.
Cian Dayrit (b. 1989, Manila) is a Filipino multimedia artist. He has exhibited his works in group and solo exhibitions internationally, including the Biennale of Sydney (2022), Gwangju Biennale (2021), Berlin Biennale (2020), Gothenburg Biennial (2019) Dhaka Art Summit (2018) and the New Museum’s triennial Songs for Sabotage (2018). Dayrit is currently participating in the exhibition Machinations at the Museo Reina Sofìa, Madrid, and will participate in forthcoming exhibitions at Barbican, London, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead (UK), and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.
The press kit including information and images of the exhibition is available here. The press images can be used free of charge in connection with editorial coverage of the event; the rights holder must be named in the credits.
Cian Dayrit
Schemes of Belligerence
14 September – 04 November 2023
Opening: Thursday, 14 September, 6–9 PM
NOME, Potsdamer Str. 72, 10785 Berlin
Press contact
Jesi Khadivi
jesi@nomegallery.com
+49 30 922 83788
Image credit: Cian Dayrit, Schemes of Belligerence, 2021 (detail). Image courtesy of the 13th Gwangju Biennale.