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An exhibition exploring the effects of human ambition on modern life

Multi-media group-show Escape Clause, brings together the work of three artists, Fabio Antinori, Bruno Mathez and Jonathan Munro, each of whom is interested in exploring how the instinctive human drive to succeed and natural, human imperfections, effect how we live. Despite focusing on three different strands of life, the artists are drawn together through a shared fascination with this question.

Fabio Antinori presents Flashcrash Unlimited, a data-informed animation, which examines financial market crashes, the human error behind them and the state of uncertainty they create. Inspired by the infamous flash crash of 2010, the work visually recreates the US stock exchange activity as its traders would have experienced it at the time. Lasting 36 minutes, the crash is thought to have cost a trillion dollars and the animated loop at the heart of this piece, stands as an ironic and unrelenting reminder of the event. It also hints, disquietingly, at the thousands of smaller crashes that have taken place since, with its rough two-dimensional aesthetic, in stark contrast with the pristine realistic background – reminiscent of the flat world of Big Data and algorithmic trading that rules today’s financial markets.

Bruno Mathez presents Illuminé – a projection mapping installation that sees a number of physical objects illuminated by a central character, who seems to control and influence their existential nature. The work explores the tensions and relationship between ‘to have’ and ‘to be’, associating spiritual illumination with the way our addiction to material consumption fulfils our desires. Mathez’ protagonist is seated in a pseudo-meditative posture, in search of enlightenment – and yet the outcome of his illumination seems to be the creation, or promotion, of more ‘stuff’.


Jonathan Munro presents The Rules of Engagement, an interactive installation that invites visitors to take part in a game of table tennis, with a difference… Part ping pong, part exercise in ‘personal improvement’, the installation is activated by the interaction between visitors and the work, as well as each other. As the ball passes over the net a short audio track activates and it gradually becomes apparent that we are hearing sections of ‘The Charsima Myth: Master the art of personal magnetism’. The reward for players who can keep a rally going, is a seamless, improved, listening experience and, ideally, improved magnetism. Exploring corporate culture, workplace politics and the wider social implications of our current working environments – Munro uses the play to question our increasingly work obsessed culture, where ‘new’ models for success consistently supersede the last ‘big thing’ and new borderless, invasive tools of communication mean the ambition of a healthy work / life balance is harder and harder to achieve.

Escape Clause runs at Platform Southwark, 1 Joan Street, London SE1. From today Friday
8th –24th July 2016, Wed-Sun, 12:30 – 20:00. Private View -Thursday 7th July, 18:00- 20:00. www.platformsouthwark.co.uk 

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