SLAVS & TATARS

January 23 – March 1, 2008
Opening Reception: Wednesday, January 23, 6–8 pm

Newman Popiashvili Gallery is pleased to present the first New York exhibition of Slavs & Tatars. The duo, Slavs & Tatars, was founded by Kasia Korczak and Payam Sharifi. The artists reside between Moscow, Paris and Belgium. Their work most recently was shown at the NY Art Book Fair, Moscow Biennial and Schenzhen Architecture Biennials.

For their show at the gallery Slavs and Tatars will present The Thirteenth Month - a bald show on time, consisting of a new series of posters and a publication, through their decisively anti-modern perspective. Sometimes, it's better to be in the rear-guard of the avant-garde.

With its roots in Zoroastrianism, The 13th month is inspired by an old form of The Jalali Calendar, whose current form is still in use in Iran and Afghanistan. This Jalali is in fact more accurate than the Gregorian one we use in the west. To accommodate the changes in time, the old calendar added a 13th month, every six years or so.

On the occasion of the show, Slavs and Tatars will propose a publication of this 13th month, as an addendum to one's everyday calendar/diary. Thirty-two days in length, the "13th Month" will be a libretto of daily polemics, reflections, and musings on the very defeatist approach to time so dear to Slavs & Tatars.

In addition to the calendar Slavs & Tatars will present text-based silk-screen posters: NOS AMIS LES ENNEMIS/NOS ENNEMIS LES AMIS and YOU LET US STEAL. WE LET YOU LIVE and a full color poster with an image of a golden rock against central Asian steppe with the inscription: ADVICE TO INTELLECTUALS: LET NO ONE REPRESENT YOU.

Existing posters will be presented amidst new series for the duration of the show. These will act, to some extent, as an extended exploration of Slavs & Tatars, the region, its take on time, etc.

For further information and images please contact the gallery.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11am - 6pm.

.