Tereza Zelenkova : The Absence of Myth

"Tereza Zelenkova makes photographs that engage with a number of things, as formed and descriptive as they are oblique. The Absence of Myth is the manifestation of a practice that takes influence from a range of sources, including the French writer Georges Bataille, the much-lauded expounder of gloomy thought; the museum as a space for the documentation of objects out of context; and the artistic and literary traditions of surrealism - that pursuit that puts what is unconscious out in the open in all its strange, knotty ambiguity."

“’Night is also a sun’, and the absence of myth is also a myth: the coldest, the purest, the only true myth.”

– Georges Bataille

Legion TV are pleased to present Tereza Zelenkova’s first solo show in London. The exhibition will include Zelenkova’s latest photographic works, which are presented as excerpts from a critical dictionary created by the artist. Drawing on the traditions of Surrealism, Zelenkova’s darkly romantic work frequently references Georges Bataille, whose writings also partially inspired this project.

Working in black and white, Zelenkova’s photographs are often a nostalgic and melancholic representation of the present, that for her perpetually blends with the past, and vice versa. The images are mostly uninhabited and still; time here is frozen, not only through the alchemic process of photography, but also through the subject matter itself: old museum exhibits, preserved period interiors, or historic paintings, among others. It is as if the work resists the passage of time, the only dynamic feature being the water that occasionally runs through the otherwise timeless and unchanging environments.

The installation itself takes on the aesthetics of a museum exposition, creating a certain tension between the lyrical nature of the photographs and a detached, institutional-like presentation. The individual photographs are of intimate sizes that oscillate between public display and private album. For Zelenkova, each of her works is a result of subconscious choices, a mixture of chance and intentions, which under closer inspection reveal a web of associations, weaving together a narrative of a personal biography and artist’s cultural heritage. This is also the first time that Zelenkova presents her photographs together with text, revealing some of the inner concerns behind the work.

The exhibition is accompanied by a limited edition artist publication, which also serves as an exhibition catalogue, bringing together foreword by Daniel C. Blight, Zelenkova’s photographs, texts, and also a poem written by French poet Ed Anon.

The Absence of Myth

19th October – 23rd November

Private View 18th October 6.30 – 10pm

Legion TV

4-17 Frederick Terrace London E8 4EW

Opening hours:
Thursday to Saturday 12.00 – 17.00 or by appointment

Related Posts

Fabien Chaurau : Ways of the Road

“Ways of the Road” was created during 3 week artist residency held in the village of Partapur in Rajasthan. The ...

Anouk Kruithof Automagic

Support Photobook Maker Anouk Kruithof’s latest ‘Automagic’

Netherlands –  New York-based Dutch artist Anouk Kruithof has been working on AUTOMAGIC since May 2011.  It will be an extensive book ...

Felix Schoeller Photo Award 2015 Announced

Germany –  This international competition for professional photographers has established itself worldwide. Over 1,200 entries, participants from 65 countries, 200 ...

OBSCURA Festival 2013 – Malaysia

Malaysia –  OBSCURA Festival is the biggest photography festival in Malaysia to date. The festival is a celebration of our Asian ...

Winterlude: A Season in Delhi

India –  An Exhibition of Photographs by Chitvan Gill Curated by Teteii Tochhawng Delhi is a city of secrets, and ...

LE BAL BOOKS WEEK-END

Paris –   29th August LIVE EDITING SHOW Opening of LE BAL’s participatory editing workshops. MAKE YOUR OWN BOOK ! Four portuguese ...

Marco Breuer at the Yossi Milo Gallery

United States – For his inaugural exhibition at the Yossi Milo Gallery, Marco Breuer is showing new work that gets ...

Call For Submission: 20th Voies Off Festival – Arles

France –  Be part of the photographic alternative Voies Off Festival is the fringe festival of the world famous Rencontres ...

Format International Photography Festival 2014: Exposure Open Call

England – FORMAT International Photography Festival is one of the UK’s leading international contemporary festivals of photography and related media. FORMAT ...