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«Game of Goose» at City SALTS

Group Show, September 17, 2020 until January 30, 2021

Artists

Caline Aoun, Maha Yammine, Martín La Roche, Marwan Moujaes, Paul Hage Boutros, Sanne Vaassen, Sirine Fattouh, Stéphanie Saadé

Institution

City SALTS

Locations

Basel, Birsfelden

Download

Press release (PDF)

Website

salts.ch

Exhibition View Group Show «Game of Goose» at City SALTS, Birsfelden, Basel, 2020 / Photo: Gunnar Meier / Courtesy: the artists and SALTS

Exhibition Overview

"Game of Goose" at City SALTS is a group show curated by Stéphanie Saadé, featuring works by Caline Aoun, Sirine Fattouh, Paul Hage Boutros, Martín La Roche, Marwan Moujaes, Sanne Vaassen, and Maha Yammine. The exhibition is structured around the architecture and rules of the eponymous board game, inviting viewers to interact with the space. The Game of Goose, dating back to the XVIth century, reflects political and social contexts through its illustrations. The exhibition extends the playing board throughout the SALTS space, with artworks and performances by the artists acting as players.

Themes and Concepts

The themes of the works in the exhibition range from the childish and ludic to the social and political. They draw connections to recent events such as the global health crisis, lockdowns, and the political and economic turmoil in Lebanon. The artworks explore notions of danger, domestic space, time, communication, and memory. Each piece offers a unique perspective on shared or distant experiences, serving as allegories for the current state of the world.

Highlighted Artworks

- Sanne Vaassen's "Chinese Whispers" (2014) features a soap sculpture that symbolizes preventive measures against germs and viruses, reflecting the current focus on hygiene. - Stéphanie Saadé's "Building a Home with Time" (2020) uses wooden beads to represent the passage of days between significant historical events, offering a poignant reflection on personal and collective memory. - Marwan Moujaes' "Still life with fire and two potatoes" (2020) captures a moment of protest during the Lebanese uprising, highlighting the artist's engagement with public space and political activism. - Paul Hage Boutros' "Nothingness" (2015) and "Prosthetic Love" (2016) explore themes of literature, communication, and mortality, inviting viewers to reconsider the significance of written and digital exchanges.

Artistic Interpretations

The exhibition showcases a diverse range of artistic interpretations, from altered ornaments and symbolic gestures to interactive installations and historical references. Through a playful and thought-provoking lens, the artists invite viewers to engage with complex themes and narratives, encouraging reflection on the interconnectedness of personal and collective experiences.

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Exhibition View Group Show «Game of Goose» at City SALTS, Birsfelden, Basel, 2020 / Photo: Gunnar Meier / Courtesy: the artists and SALTS