Frieze London 2014

The stand will present three artists—Jacin Giordano, Olivier Millagou, and Naufus Ramirez Figueroa—whose work is inspired by rituals and a so-called “primitive” aesthetic. Displayed on the walls, five to seven of Giordano’s “Masks for Hunting” (2014)—wild visages made from bright wools, acrylic, and empty canvas stretchers—will contrast with the neutral tones and simple form of Millagou’s pebble Necklaces (2013), which are inspired by traditional Hawaiian leis. Video documentation Figueroa’s performance, Bird (2013), in which he decorates his body with feathers, will be presented on a flat-screen monitor.

Working with humble materials often associated with craft or arte povera—yarn, feathers, rocks—these artists create works that eschew formal and conceptual readings in favor of anthropological, historical, or psychological interpretation.Whether it is Giordano wrapping yarn, Millagou stringing beads, or Figueroa pinning feathers to his own flesh, all of these artists make things by hand in a straightforward manner. As a result, a sense of earnest imperfection unites their work even across diverse mediums.

The stand will highlight the role of ritual (invented and observed) in the work of three contemporary artists. Appreciated on their own, Giordano and Millagou’s objects appear functional and spiritual, but mysteriously so. The context of Figueroa’s performance—a somber rite in which he pins feathers to his arm and then plucks them off—will make it easier to imagine what ceremony might involve donning an elegant rock necklace and what culture would design a frightful mask.