on the flip side was: Curated by Kollectiv Collective

Guts Projects is pleased to present 'on the flip side was;' a group exhibition curated by Kollectiv Collective featuring artists Johannes Bosisio, Malcolm Bradley, Sophie Lourdes Knight, Catinca Malaimare and Salvatore Pione.

on the flip side was that which seemed to be the same but wasn’t quite. Flipping to the B-side was at once a continuation but also a disruption. The back was the place of hidden things, obscured by brightness, claiming space in the duality of A and B – the front and the back. On the other side, like the feeling of looking underwater, everything was glimmering, unsteady. While still within reach, what was underneath the surface was distant, its essence disguised. Somewhat akin to when unluckily, the other side of the coin faced upwards. The side you did not wish to see, the one you refused to accept. But after all, it takes a negative to obtain a positive, that clear image you intended. So it was different but it was also the same all along. 

On the flip side was simultaneously belonging and displacement. It was recognising the familiar, only to find the unknown within. The front is ontologically reliant on its backside, and though its sameness is undeniable, its inherent otherness is, too. However, if the dual nature of a place, an entity, a feeling, is perfectly logical, then where does uncanniness creep in? Our belief in singular truth, unambiguous objecthood, and infallible reason is ingrained in normative thought to the extent that the very ideas conveyed in this text seem blurry and intangible. Yet, we find proof of their existence in the visual language of the everyday. The imagery at play – coins, vinyls, photographs – put a name to the face which is otherwise a feeling. This is an exercise in tautology, frowned upon for its alleged wrongness, out of fear of logical redundancy and nonsense. But do words really mean the same thing; or does something hide in the duality of likeness? Depending on how you cut the ribbon, it might be in celebration or destruction. How does a singular cut unveil and celebrate, while another leaves the show in ribbons?

Contemplating the relationship between the front and the back, the clear and the blurred, this exhibition brings together works that conjure the uncanny feeling of having landed on the flipside. Whether through medium, technique, motif or sensation, they evoke a sense of uncertainty while searching for solace in visual and conceptual illusions. On the flip side was blurred emotion and dual creatures. At the back – of a space and an artwork – there was both comfort and unease. In the tautological gaps, the only way out is through.

Featured Artists

Johannes Bosisio (b.1994, Cavalese, Italy) studied DIPLOMA Fine Art Painting at Weissensee School of Art, Berlin (2014-19) and MA Fine Art Painting at the Royal College of Art and Design (2020-22). In his paintings Bosisio explores the relationships between mankind and machine and the transgressions of dualism such as the separation of: figure and ground, body and mind, material and Immaterial, organic and inorganic, animals and machines. Recent exhibitions include a duo exhibition at Galerie Supermarkt, Tokyo (2023); and a solo show at Gallery Doris Gehtta, St. Ulrich (2022). Selected group exhibitions include: Tabula Rasa, Beijing; Wonespace, Shenzhen (2023); KALI Gallery, Luzern; Indigo+Matter Gallery; Eve Leibe Gallery; and Split Gallery, all London; Brownie Project Gallery, Shanghai; and 104 Gallery, Tokyo (2022); among others. 

Malcolm Bradley (b. 1992, Oxford, UK) lives and works in London. He is currently studying on the MFA Fine Art course at Goldsmiths University. In his practice Bradley uses photography, video, text and installation to create mixed media collages. He uses collage as a form of visual note taking to blend research and autobiographical material. The diaristic elements in his work acknowledge the inconsistencies of his own position and aim to create a vocabulary for the wordless parts of lived experience. Recent projects include a solo exhibition at DES BAINS, London (2022); and a group show at South Parade, London (2021); among others. 

Sophie Lourdes Knight (b. 1992, Mountain View, USA) is a multidisciplinary artist from California. She studied at California College of the Arts, graduating with a BFA in 2014, and at the Slade School of Fine Art, graduating with an MFA in 2022. Knight's work attempts to disrupt the hierarchical economy of value within the world of objects. By placing overlooked, everyday items alongside spectacular things of beauty she establishes them as on a level plain; both objects are prescribed as having the same inherent value. They transcend their physical limitations and rise to become akin to religious idols or spiritual totems. Her work has recently been shown in solo exhibitions at Huxley-Parlour Gallery, London (2023); Double Séjour, Paris (2021); as well as group exhibitions at Arusha Gallery; Warbling Collective; and Liliya Gallery; all London (2023); Guts Gallery; Liliya Gallery; Safe House 2; Slash Arts; The Split Gallery; Alice's Oyster Bar; Fitzrovia Gallery; ASC Gallery; and UK Mexican Arts Society, all London (2022); among others. 

Catinca Malaimare (b. 1996, Bucharest, Romania) received an MA from the Royal Academy Schools in 2022. Performing alongside anthropomorphised technologies, Malaimare’s choreography takes the form of performance, sculpture, audio and film, revealing our intimate relationship with technological tools. Using poetic, spiritual gestures, Malaimare facilitates ephemeral, fleeting moments which acknowledges our technological co-dependence. Recent solo exhibitions include Brooke Benington; Zabludowicz Collection, London; and The Art Station, Saxmundham (2023); Catinca Tabacaru Gallery, Bucharest (2022); and group shows at Kunsthaus NRW, with IKOB Museum for Contemporary Art, Aachen; and the  20th Biennial of Art Pančevo, Serbia (2022); among others. 

Salvatore Pione (b. 1995, Messina, Sicily) is a multidisciplinary artist that lives and works between Sicily and London. He holds a degree in 2D Animation from Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Turin and a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts from the University of Arts London. Salvatore is currently completing his MFA at Goldsmiths, London. Pione creates works that contend with grotesque theatricality, camp and remembrance themes. He is strongly influenced by the customs and traditions of his land, Sicily, and often the places and experiences of his childhood serve as inspiration for the realisation of his works. Yet, a queer narrative pulsates through the stories and symbols, whereby the rampant machismo inflected within the strong Catholic culture of Italy is thwarted and disrupted by the depiction of hyper-masculine figures engaging in homoerotic scenes, with feminised features in his work. Recent projects include a solo exhibition at Exante Studio, Sicily (2022); and group shows at Ohsh Projects; 9 French Place and BeAdvisors Art; Cromwell Place; and Brushes With Greatness, all London (2023); and Collettive Flock, both Sicily; Studio West Gallery; SET Woolwich; Hypha Studios; Goldsmiths, University of London; and Enclave Projects, all London (2022); among others.