Made by Sheila Pepe for The 8th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale/ We Have Never Participated, China
Gaining ACCESS requires an ability to read deeply for the codes and terms that allow (or bar) it.
We live in a world defined by cultural hierarchies made real by a wide spectrum of gates, stiles, and similar structures– both concrete and virtual. Some of these, like fish ladders, assist passage incrementally – others allow entrance all at once. Many devices are designed for a select population.
This is an investigation of reading in pursuit of a vocabulary of/for access. The origin of this investigation is traditionally practiced among artists as a tool for reading in a daily context. It lies at the intersection of language + space, image making + thing, and points to the power of meaning and interpretation. The aim here is to broaden this language of observation and interpretation as a basic civic-cultural “program” located beyond the “Art” context. Using an intersection of Philosophy’s linguistic turn as a parallel to Duchamp’s’ spatial turn – we will share knowledge, connections and analogue though shared readings + discussion + a “studio challenge” – TBD.