Nolan Oswald Dennis | Viewing room | 2023
Goodman Gallery is delighted to present a constellation of studio models, sketches and prototypes from recent experimental black-earth-system research by Nolan Oswald Dennis.
Over the past two years, Dennis has been working on a series of earth-system orientated research projects in collaboration with various institutions. Earth-system refers to the 5 subsystems which produce the environment we are all familiar with and dependant on: the hydrosphere (aquatic systems); geosphere (overground and underground land systems); atmosphere (the air and gaseous systems) biosphere (the living systems) and cryosphere (the frozen systems at the poles). The concept of a black-earth-system adds a sixth system to this structure. Simply put the idea of a black-earth-system allows us to identify the role of oppressive power in earth-systems as well as the counter-practices to this power. Black-earth-system works aim to see beyond the horizon of a world overdetermined by oppressive power.
Dennis (b. 1988, Zambia) is a para-disciplinary artist based in Johannesburg. Their practice explores what they call ‘a black consciousness of space’: the material and metaphysical conditions of decolonization. Dennis’ work questions the politics of space (and time) through a system-specific, rather than site-specific approach. They are concerned with the hidden structures that pre-determine the limits of our social and political imagination. Through a language of diagrams, drawings and models they explore a hidden landscape of systematic and structural conditions that organise our political sub-terrain.
Artworks
About
Nolan Oswald Dennis
Nolan Oswald Dennis (b. 1988, Zambia) is a para-disciplinary artist from Johannesburg, South Africa. Their practice explores what they call ‘a black consciousness of space’: the material and metaphysical conditions of decolonization.
Dennis’ work questions the politics of space (and time) through a system-specific, rather than site-specific approach. They are concerned with the hidden structures that pre-determine the limits of our social and political imagination. Through a language of diagrams, drawings and models they explore a hidden landscape of systematic and structural conditions that organise our political sub-terrain. This sub-space is framed by systems which transverse multiple realms (technical, spiritual economic, psychological, etc) and therefore Dennis’ work can be seen as an attempt to stitch these, sometime opposed, sometimes complimentary, systems together. To read technological systems alongside spiritual systems, to combine political fictions with science fiction.
Dennis’ is the 2016 winner of the FNB Arts Prize, and has exhibited in various solo and group shows, including the 9th Berlin Biennale (2016), the Young Congo Biennale (2019), Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Architekturmuseum der TU München, Palais de Tokyo (Paris) and ARoS Aarhus (Denmark). They were the 2020 artist in residence at NTUCCA (Singapore) and the 2021 artist in residence at the Delfina Foundation (London).
Dennis’ work featured at the Liverpool Biennale with their installation, ‘no conciliation is possible (working diagram)’ in 2023, as well as Kunsthalle Bern and Van Abbe Museum. Dennis also participated in the 12th edition of the Seoul Mediacity Biennale as well as the ‘back wall project’ at the Kunsthalle Basel.
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