R.I.P. Germain’s practice traffics in double
meanings, deep resonances and a tension between accessibility and
occlusion. Trickster and guide, he tries to dance a fine line: making
work that speaks to deep truths without cheapening them with
explanations or flattening them out for easy consumption. Sedimented
with layers dense with cultural meaning and reference, the extensive
research undergirding R.I.P. Germain’s work draws from multiple genres
of Black experience, history and culture – personal and collective,
seeking to make art that is rigorous about his commitments and
possibilities as a Black artist.
R.I.P.
Germain has exhibited internationally and recent exhibitions include;
Cubitt 30, a group show presented by Cubitt at Victoria Miro in London,
UK; The Exhibition Formerly Known As “Trace Image” at Deborah Schamoni, Munich, Germany; Shimmer, a solo show at Two Queens in Leicester, UK; Four Bedrooms With An En Suite, A Garage & Garden In A Nice Neighbourhood, a solo show at V.O Curations in London, UK; Supastore Southside, Slingbacks & Sunshine, a group show hosted by Sarah Staton at South London Gallery; Ways of Living #2, a group show presented by Arcadia Missa at NICO in Bari, Italy; Dead Yard, a solo show at Cubitt in London, UK; Double 6 with Ashley Holmes in the former courtroom at Leeds Town Hall in Leeds, UK; and Gidi Up,
a solo show at Peak in London, UK. R.I.P. Germain was also the
recipient of the ICA Image Behaviour 2021 prize, which culminated in his
first short film mew premiering at the ICA in 2022.
Imani Mason Jordan (b. 1992, London) is an interdisciplinary writer, artist, editor and curator interested in poetics and performance.
Recent projects include TREAD/MILL: WIP (Somerset House Studios 2021, and Aspen Art Museum, 2022); ATLANTIC RAILTON: LIVE with Ain Bailey (Serpentine Pavilion, 2021) & WELCOME NOTE IN A WELCOME SPEECH with Libita Sibungu (Gasworks, 2019; Spike Island, 2020; Sensing the Planet / Serpentine, 2021). Imani is the author of the pamphlet Objects Who Testify (PSS, 2019) as well as numerous articles, reviews, essays, poems, plays and love letters, some of which they have published (see below).
Imani is also one half of Languid Hands, a London-based artistic and curatorial collaboration with DJ and filmmaker Rabz Lansiquot. Their practice explores collaboration, curation, black study and experimentation across exhibitions, moving image, text, performance, publications and public programming. In January 2023, Languid Hands join 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning as Lead Curators of the 198 CAL Artistic Programme.
no. 236848.