OBSIDIAN
CEntruM Berlin

Jasmin Penelope Charles & Sheila Chukwulozie
sound and visual arts installation curated by Raphael Guilbert and Tushar
with support from the CTG Collective, Romania
PRESS RELEASE

Description by Catinca Tabacaru Gallery (Romania)

”OBSIDIAN makes use of everyday technologies in public space to bridge the global North and South. The shared virtual space allows the two artists to explore the limitations of separate physicality caused by our new post-COVID era but also regularly faced by many living without the privilege of a Western passport. From June 13th to 23rd, Chukwulozie and Jasminfire activate Centrum and Ajasa-hFACTOR spontaneously. Through impromptu performances and organic open format discussions with visitors in Berlin and Lagos, the two artists aim to take audiences through an array of emotional states, while simultaneously creating a collaborative performance played out as a series of fiery releases essential to living within balance.”

From the artist:
OBSIDIAN was created after weeks of conversations between curator Raphael Guilbert (London, UK), Jasmin Charles (Asheville, USA), and Sheila Chukwulozie (Lagos, Nigeria) via Whatsapp from their 3 different continents; we asked the question, “What will you do with your grief?” The title “OBSIDIAN” was chosen by Jasmin, who noted that after lava cools, it becomes black smooth glass that is harvested to create either stunning, rare jewelry used for ceremonial purposes or extremely thin, sharp blades used for weapons and surgical instruments (it is a highly preferred substance for this very reason). After one experiences a monumental event of grief that forces internal lava to the surface and metaphorically burning everything in its path, a person then is faced with the choice of seeing life from a place of beauty or as a jungle of challenges they require protection in. The artists asked this question to their audiences who dropped in during Neukölln’s Art Week in Berlin; in between sonic performances, panel discussions were held simultaneously on both continents, connected via webcam, and audiences from both spaces faced each other, asking and answering hard questions within a safe space to do so. The unique twist is that in both Berlin and Lagos, society is not known to be as emotionally open or warm to the idea of speaking on pain openly, so the installation had a radical element to it that left positive impressions of hope on attendees and observers.