Eva Rothschild has been invited to create the next installation for the Tate Britain Duveens Commission 2009, supported by Sotheby’s. Her new work, created especially for the Duveen Galleries at the heart of Tate Britain, will be unveiled on 29 June 2009 and will be on display until
29 November 2009.Artists who have previously undertaken the Commission include Martin Creed (2008), Mark Wallinger (2007), Michael Landy (2004), Anya Gallaccio (2002) and Mona Hatoum (2000).
Eva Rothschild’s striking and memorable sculptures continually investigate and forge new relationships between volume and mass, surface and structure. She uses a wide variety of materials, such as leather and steel, which are often incongruously juxtaposed to create deceptively simple works that lightly yet effectively occupy space. Rothschild’s strong interest in geometric and elemental forms is combined with a fascination in the spiritual and ritualistic qualities of objects.
Rothschild has conceived an ambitious new sculpture that will directly respond to the Duveen Galleries. It will contain some of the essential characteristics of her practice but will also represent an exciting new direction in her work. Using minimal materiality, the work will fill and disrupt the grandeur of these neo-classical galleries with a chaotic, energetic presence. It will activate the gallery, countering and complimenting the solidity of the building and compelling visitors to physically and optically re-engage with this familiar space. This will be the first time a single work has been designed to stretch nearly the full length of the space, occupying over 70 metres from one end of the Duveens to the other.
Rothschild comments, ‘I’m excited about making a new work for this year’s Duveens Commission. I’m hoping to create something that will agitate the architecture of the Duveens Galleries, tangling with your perception of the space.’
Stephen Deuchar, Director of Tate Britain, said: “I am delighted that Eva Rothschild has accepted Tate Britain’s invitation to create this year’s Commission. She is one of the most interesting sculptors working today, creating works that beguile with their subtlety and illusion. I look forward to seeing the new site-specific sculpture she is creating for the Tate Britain Duveens Commission this summer.”
Bill Ruprecht, Chief Executive Officer, Sotheby’s Worldwide, said: ‘I am delighted that for the second year running Sotheby’s sponsorship of Tate Britain’s Duveens Commission will help Tate to provide this important showcase for new work by British contemporary artists. Today, support for the broader cultural community is more important than ever.’
Eva Rothschild was born in 1972 in Dublin. She studied at the University of Ulster, Belfast from 1990 – 1993 and then at GoldsmithsCollege, University of London from 1997-1999. She lives and works in London. Recent solo exhibitions include the Modern Institute, Glasgow (2008), South London Gallery, London; 303 Gallery, New York (2007), Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zurich (2006); Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin; Modern Art, London (2005). Rothschild’s work has also been included in numerous group exhibitions including Un-monumental: Falling to Pieces in the 21st Century, The New Museum, New York (2007), Tate Triennial (2006), The British Art Show (2005), The Carnegie International, The Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburg (2004).