Penny Slinger: Exorcism Inside Out

2 Jul-7 Sep 2024

Penny Slinger, Nun of That, 1970, Photo collage. Credit: © Penny Slinger. Courtesy of the artist and BLUM Los Angeles, Tokyo, New York

Overview

Richard Saltoun Gallery announces the solo exhibition An Exorcism, with LA-based, London-born Feminist Surrealist Penny SLINGER (b. 1947), coinciding with the re-publishing of her eponymous book of the same title by Fulgur Press on June 21st. An Exorcism is a spectacular, immersive audio-visual exhibition based on Slinger’s original publication.

An Exorcism was published in the 1970s, but faced censorship upon import to the UK, marked as pornography, and consequently burned. Therefore, this exhibition serves as a landmark occasion, marking the first comprehensive encounter for the British public with Slinger's project since the 1970s.

Penny Slinger started her career as one of the few celebrated women artists in the milieu of the late 1960s 'Swinging London'. She graduated from Chelsea College of Art in 1969, formulating her thesis on Max Ernst and finding her artistic identity in Surrealism. In her own words Slinger recalls that she "was fascinated by the seamless creation of mythological anthropomorphic figures in urban settings where the forces of nature disrupted the status quo".

Often hailed as her magnum opus, An Exorcism contains a collection of erotic collages, using the backdrop of the childhood home of her then-partner, Peter Whitehead, who appears as a quasi-satanic figure within several compositions. As described by Slinger, An Exorcism is a "surreal romance in photo collage." The narrative in the original book unfolds through biographical chapters, tracing the odyssey of a young woman navigating newfound realms of consciousness. Through a symbiotic blend of personal embodiment and imaginative transgression, Slinger weaves her own body into archetypal landscapes, engaging in a cultural exorcism that simultaneously delves into themes of fetishism and sexploitation from a feminist vantage point. This crypto-biographical journey is meticulously staged within the English Gothic ambiance of Lilford Hall, merging the evocative allure of British neo-Romantic painting with the ominous foreboding reminiscent of horror cinema.

Enveloping the gallery space in site-specific wallpaper that mirrors the decaying grandeur of the mansion with evocative Surrealist interventions, the forthcoming exhibition at Richard Saltoun Gallery will feature the original collages from An Exorcism, alongside previously unreleased sound and video compositions, offering viewers an immersive encounter with Slinger's multifaceted exploration of desire, identity, and the subconscious. Presented for the first time as an immersive exhibition, An Exorcism will envelop visitors in the Slinger’s seductive, uncanny world.

Artists

Press

Penny Slinger: Exorcism Inside Out press release
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