7 Feb – 24 Mar @ Fremantle Arts Centre ·
Presented by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran & Renee So ·

Idolatry and mythological archetypes are reimagined in the ceramics and wall works of Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Renee So. Working primarily in figurative ceramics, both artists aim to challenge and overturn old perspectives on gender, gendered power structures and the aesthetics of spiritualities.

Nithiyendran creates rough-edged, vibrant, new-age sculptures that are at once enticing and confronting. He experiments with form and scale in the context of figurative sculpture to explore the politics of sex, monuments, gender and religion. He draws on his Hindu and Christian heritage as reference points, as well as the internet, fashion and art history.

In hand-built stoneware sculptures and machine knitted textile works, Renee So also explores constructions of masculinity, femininity and gender-based power structures. Underpinning these works is a deep interest in the history of art, craft and design, and a considered irony.

The pairing of So with Nithiyendran creates a richly experiential, witty and provocative dialogue about gender, power and their signifiers. The skill and originality of each artist makes for an energetic ‘face-off’ – as much because of the differences as the similarities between the two practices. When installed together, Nithiyendran’s works form a chaotic shrine that in the context of the Idols exhibition will be anchored and thrown into relief by So’s enigmatic yet authoritative male and female figures.

Presented in association with Fremantle Arts Centre

Free Entry

More info:
https://www.perthfestival.com.au/event/idols

Pictured: Blue Head, credit: Nithiyendran, Woman II credit: Renee So