Holloway

Céline Struger

Curated by Yein Lee

At Loggia, Vienna, Austria

September 15 — October 22, 2021

Photography by Flavio Palasciano

Medusa’s rage is spouted out in Céline Struger’s wishing wells, in both, the Gorgon’s petrified emotion is breathing vigorously. She keeps an eye on passersby, who have thrown away desires with sacrifice. A tractor has cultivated a passage, where unspoken wishes and recurring fury meet. Alongside her wishing wells, speculative trophies of Medusa are hanging from the ceiling — assemblages of fragmented bones, butchered body parts, and a bear trap, growling for prey. The dubious rituals still carry pieces of desire in secrecy — potions and lead casting. Confronting the toxicity of the patriarchy, potion makers controlled male sexuality with their potions. ’Das Gift’ is a gift. 

 

As if opening grandmother’s handwritten remedy book, scattered nostalgia haunts current matter, melting superstition into metal. Taking inspiration from research on a myriad of mythologies from Corinthia to Carinthia, Céline Struger is digging, stirring, and overturning historical references and sculpting the present with personal emotions and memories. Will Bleigießen show a better tomorrow? It depends on how we want to read its molten wishes.

— Yein Lee

Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Absolution, 40 x 100 x 100 cm, tractor tire, cast stone, water, pvc, 2021
Absolution, 40 x 100 x 100 cm, tractor tire, cast stone, water, pvc, 2021
Absolution, 40 x 100 x 100 cm, tractor tire, cast stone, water, pvc, 2021
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Tisiphone, 85 ×25 × 20 cm, stoneware, wax, brass chains, 2021
Tisiphone, 85 ×25 × 20 cm, stoneware, wax, brass chains, 2021
Alekto, 80 x 23 x 18 cm, stoneware, pewter, brass chains, 2021
Alekto, 80 x 23 x 18 cm, stoneware, pewter, brass chains, 2021
Display II, 142 x 40 x 28 cm, steel, Brass figurine, historic coins, crystal, blow torch, 2021
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
La Grande Coupure, 80 x 65 x 12 cm, scrap metal, clay, stoneware, brass chains, 2021
La Grande Coupure, 80 x 65 x 12 cm, scrap metal, clay, stoneware, brass chains, 2021
Holloway - ‘Das Gift’ is a Gift, 2021, Exhibition view, Loggia, Vienna, Austria
Snowdrops in your hair, 21 x 13 x 6 cm corroded steel, wax, 2021
Display I, 148 x 40 x 28 cm, steel, potion 1, Atropa belladona potion 2, Vitex agnus castus, monk’s pepper, Potion 3, Semper vivum tectorum, houseleek, aphrodisiac, monk’s pepper, houseleek, 2021
Display I, 148 x 40 x 28 cm, steel, potion 1, Atropa belladona potion 2, Vitex agnus castus, monk’s pepper, Potion 3, Semper vivum tectorum, houseleek, aphrodisiac, monk’s pepper, houseleek, 2021