Zion Arts Center exhibits " Fundamental "

Tuesday, 21 August 2007 01:05

Manchester, England - Mixing the work of renowned international artists Parastou Farahour (Iran), Mark Vallen (US), and Debbie Hill (Israel), with shocking photography smuggled out of Afghanistan under brutal Taliban rule, artworks about post-invasion Iraq, and works documenting the rise of the Evangelical Christian right, Fundamental is a timely glimpse into the disturbing world of global religious extremism, intended to shock, inform and inspire debate.

"Like it or not, fundamentalism is not going to disappear soon. In some places it is either going from strength to strength or becoming more extreme." So said Karen Armstrong, award-winning writer and academic. Fundamentalism exists in every corner of the world and in every major faith tradition, most notably in Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity. The rise of fundamentalism as a global movement can be traced back to the 1970s. Since then there has been a continued worldwide upsurge in conservative and fundamentalist movements in religion, wielding an increasingly powerful influence socially and politically.

Over the past few years, an increase in global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, has polarized public opinion in societies worldwide, increasing the popularity of fundamentalist movements and appearing to give strength to their arguments. More often than not, the contributions made by mainstream press and politicians have only served to further aggravate the situation and polarize debate.

Los Angeles based artist Mark Vallen said of his painting, A People Under Command, part of the Fundamental exhibit: "I painted this surreal street scene during the second half of the Ronald Reagan presidency. The large un-stretched canvas both documented the time and foretold of things to come. It's unnerving to me that the painting has a new, chilling, relevance in our post Sept. 11th world. I got the name for my painting while watching a fundamentalist Christian preacher performing a religious song on television titled, 'A People Under Command.' Oddly enough, down the block from my studio a Church had painted black the cross on their rooftop. I included that ominous Church steeple in my artwork as a sign of alarm over the rise of a right-wing Christian fundamentalism."

Fundamental is being simultaneously launched and hosted by two venues in Manchester, England, the Zion Arts Center and the Greenroom. The touring international art show highlights the nature of fundamentalism as a worldwide problem common in all major religions (most notably Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism).

The Fundamental exhibit launches in Manchester, England, at:
Zion Arts Center. Premier launch party, September 1st, 2007, 7-9 pm. Exhibit runs until Sept. 15th, 2007. Green Room. Sept. 5th, 2007. 5-11 pm. Exhibit runs until Sept. 22nd, 2007.

The exhibit then travels to Madrid, Berlin, and finally back to Leeds, England, where the tour ends in 2008.

Fundamental features the artists: Parastou Forouhar (an Iranian-born artist residing in Germany), Mark Vallen (US painter based in Los Angeles), Debbie Hill (a photojournalist living in Jerusalem), Frans Smeets (Dutch artist and sculptor), Khosrow Hassan (an Iranian artist based in Tehran), Dalila Hamdoun (a French-Algerian artist based in London), Leanne L'Hirondelle (Canadian artist and independent curator), Abbas (Iranian photographer now living in Paris), Leanne L'Hirondelle (an English multi-media artist based in Manchester), Andrew Stern (a photojournalist based in New York), Andreas Böhmig (a German photojournalist), Johan Oldekop (a UK based photojournalist), Polyp (cartoonist and activist based in the UK), and Joel Pelletier (US painter based in Los Angeles).

The Fundamental exhibition is coordinated and curated by Northern Arts Tactical Offensive (NATO), a Manchester-based political art collective, whose aim is to bring art dealing with current social and environmental issues out of its typical confines, exposing it to a more diverse and mainstream audience. For more information on Fundamental, including previews of artworks and a calendar of events listing venues and dates, please visit: www.fundamental.org.uk

Fundamental is funded by: Arts Council England, European Cultural Foundation, and Institut fur Auslandsbeziehungen.