Modern Art Oxford: Barbara Steveni: I Find Myself

Modern Art Oxford presents I Find Myself, the first retrospective exhibition of pioneering and influential artist-activist Barbara Steveni (1928-2020). Representing her pivotal role as an artist initiator, energetic organiser, negotiator and pioneer of social practice, it combines examples of her conversational and collaborative practice, early assemblage pieces and materials from the Artist Placement Group, alongside new commissions from Anne Bean, Eloise Hawser and Laure Prouvost.

The Artist Placement Group (APG) was initiated by Steveni in 1965. The group devised the concept of the ‘Placement’ as a strategy to position artists within industrial corporations and government departments in order to expand the reach of art into the decision-making processes of society. In her role as primary strategist and spokesperson she came to see her critical administrative role negotiating behind the scenes as representative of women’s invisible labour more widely, in later years understanding this as her own art practice. The exhibition includes the important Artist Placement Group work, The Sculpture (1971), a site for live conversation which will be activated at various moments with programming produced in collaboration with contemporary organisations inspired by the APG including Policy Lab, Incidental Unit and the London Residency Network.

Organised thematically, the exhibition brings together a broad body of Steveni’s work including previously unexhibited sculptural assemblages, found objects collected on industrial sites and along the Thames Path throughout her lifetime, slide lectures, sketchbooks, recorded interviews, video footage, collaborative pieces and restaged performances. These will be on display alongside elements of Steveni’s personal archive of photographs, writing and papers which formed the basis of her significant work I Am An Archive (2002-2015).

With a career spanning 70 years, Steveni was influential on many artists of different generations and the exhibition will also feature new commissions:

Anne Bean will develop a new live work inspired by Steveni’s important long term work I Am An Archive. Bean has previously presented live performance work at Modern Art Oxford with Bow Gamelan in 1984, as well as the work I’d Rather Go Blind in 2012, as part of Solo curated by Brian Catling.

Eloise Hawser will develop a new sculptural installation based on research into Steveni’s vast collection of newspapers amassed during the 1990s and 2000s. The structure will continue Hawser’s investigation of the infrastructures of newsprint production and distribution while also reflecting on Steveni’s approach to collecting as a critical archival practice.

Taking inspiration from Steveni’s found objects and assemblage works, Laure Prouvost will create a video installation reflecting on her personal experience of working closely with Steveni in the 2000s.

The exhibition runs from 1 March – 8 June at Modern Art Oxford and is co-curated by Gareth Bell-Jones and Jo Melvin.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

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About Modern Art Oxford

Located in one of the world’s great cities of learning, Modern Art Oxford is a leading contemporary art space with an international reputation for innovative and ambitious programming. We promote creativity in all its visual forms as an agent of social change. Our programmes, both in person and online, are shaped by a belief in dialogue between contemporary art and ideas and celebrate the relevance of contemporary visual culture to society today.

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Modern Art Oxford is supported by Arts Council England, Oxford City Council and Lavazza.