Maïmouna Guerresi
Aisha in Wonderland
June 29 – July 28, 2018
projects + gallery, in collaboration with Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, is pleased to announce Aisha in Wonderland, the third solo exhibition from the Italian-Senegalese artist Maïmouna Guerresi.
Aisha in Wonderland is an allegorical journey centered on themes dear to Guerresi regarding the charm and value of the mystic and veiled body. It is a representation of the spiritually strong woman who, through her firm sense of self, is able to dissolve distinctions between masculine and feminine genres while also dispelling stereotypes associated with Islam.
The exhibition developed around the concept of inner identity and communication as critical to freedom of expression and narrative path. The different dimensions of the photographic works and their position in the exhibition space recall the proportions of Alice in the famous novel, wherein she becomes big or small depending on her fantastical encounters and experiences.
Guerresi’s new series explores the theme of equilibrium through a metaphysical and surreal interpretative key, articulated by means of two different techniques: the sculptural installation and the photographic installation. The protagonists of the photographs walk or stop in unusual spaces, appropriating new physical and spiritual faculties.
For over twenty years, Guerresi’s poetic work has been about empowering women, bringing together individuals and cultures in an appreciation for the shared humanity that transcends psychological, cultural, and political borders.
This is the third exhibition Barrett Barrera Projects and projects+gallery have done this year with women as a central theme, along with A Queen Within and Seeing Other People.