Coming soon!

Spiritual Promises
from Lost Prophets


Cosmicmegabrain presents Spiritual Promises from lost prophets, a group show of London- based artists, to take place in Beirut, Lebanon. The show was conceived after an invitation from the Beirut-based cultural association 98 weeks research project to collaborate with their upcoming project Beirut every-other-day, a series of workshops focusing on Beirut’s urban space and its lingering ruins.

With our participation the project is potentially a catalyst for a unique cultural exchange. It will provide an opportunity for emerging artists to exhibit in an unknown environment – for most of them a land still shrouded in mystery – but will also answer a call from Beirut. Our collaborating partners, young Beirutees who have lived in London and became familiar with the thriving east-end art scene, perceived a lack of this vitality in their city. Although the city boasts many prestigious galleries, which attract renowned international artists, the underground, grass-roots level of London’s art world is largely unrepresented.

The concept of the show is a continuation of Cosmicmegabrain’s previous productions, The Pitz – celebrating the persistence of degenerate art, and Help Yourself – become an ego lover. The success of these shows, both held at Cordy House, a disused warehouse in the heart of Shoreditch, east London, was due to the creation of a vibrant and captivating atmosphere that transcended the elitist cultural barriers normally associated with the art world. This was achieved by focusing on the prevalence of humour, the spectacle of entertainment and the importance of audience participation.

As with the previous shows, the starting point and theme for Spiritual Promises from Lost Prophets is an ironic, tongue-in-cheek text; it is at once a recruitment ad for a fictional spiritual movement and a parody of self-help literature, steeped in evangelical fervour and apocalyptic hysteria. This approach is a deliberate step away from the usual format in the press releases of most art shows.

Our aim in Beirut is to stimulate and recruit local Beirutee artists to join and bolster a re-run of the show back in London. We at Cosmicmegabrain strongly believe in the possibility of creating an international network of like-minded individuals and organisations, through accumulative enthusiasm and infectious energy. Since our conception we have been steadily gaining valuable contacts, with galleries and creative organisations, in various countries. A successful show in Beirut would give us the confidence to pursue similar projects virtually anywhere in the world.

Cosmicmegabrain is an independent curatorial body, composed by Jesse O Wade, Francesca Cavallo and Francisca Aires. Our aim is to investigate and promote the contaminations between art, society and popular culture with a multidisciplinary approach, organizing art exhibitions with emerging and established artists from UK and overseas. http://cosmicmegabrain.blogspot.com/

98Weeks Research Project is a recently established cultural association based in Beirut whose aim is to think together artistic practices and more theoretical forms of inquiries. 98 weeks wants to create a platform for debate, discussion and production in Lebanon and in the Middle East. The research aspect is always thought in close relation to artistic production; both the practice and the theoretical approach can contribute to open up the understanding of each. www.98weeks.org


98Weeks Research Project
Ruins in Beirut – part I
Workshop with Lara Almarcegui
Beirut, 22-28 September 2008


cosmicmegabrain presents
Spiritual Promises from Lost Prophets
Beirut, 28-30 September 2008
London, 16-20 October 2008



Artists

James Hague
http://www.jameshague.co.uk/portraits/artist.html

Mark McGowan
http://www.markmcgowan.org/

Lali Cienfuegos
www.handsdownwhowantstodie.blogspot.com

Ebba Erikzon
http://www.ebbaviktoria.com/

Nirakar Machhoya
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/Nirakar+Machhoya/91296.html

Phoebe Collings-James
http://www.dobedo.co.uk/dbd_contributors.php?manufacturers_id=44

Tobias Collier
http://www.britishcouncil.org/italy-arts-tobiascollier.htm

Nathan Barlex
http://www.vtogallery.com/content.php?page_id=1475