Negative Ecstasy consists of six new major works by Hulusi, each of which probes differing notions and physical manifestations of a division. The concept for the exhibition is based on French philosopher Georges Bataille’s assertion that consequential art involves a rupture between the boundary of life and death; the mixing of the sacred and the profane; or put another way, a communion between the bounded self and the immeasurable void. Hulusi’s works extend these ideas beyond the spiritual, to reflect on the punishing realities of geopolitical borders, those manmade containers of identity, which shape our ideology and define us as people.
Mustafa Hulusi (b.1971, UK) lives and works in London and Cyprus. He has shown internationally including solo exhibitions at Meliksetian | Briggs, Los Angeles; The Pace Gallery, Seoul; Max Wigram Gallery, London; Patrick Painter, Los Angeles; and in group exhibitions at Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR), Brussels; Los Angeles Stock Exchange, Los Angeles; Saatchi Gallery, Lon- don; Stedelijk Museum Bureau, Amsterdam; RODEO Gallery, Istanbul; MOMA /P.S.1, New York. In 2007 Hulusi represented Cyprus with Haris Epaminonda for the 52nd Venice Biennale.
Negative Ecstasy is curated by November Paynter.
