This is the front room is the first exhibition of our collective 'The Elephant in the Corner' consisting of five women artists, Zoe Anspach, Katie Aston, Virginia Phongsathorn, Eira Szadurski and myself.

OPENING:
Friday 10 July, 6.30-9pm

EXHIBITION CONTINUES:
11 – 19 July 2009 (Open: Fri-Sun, 12-6pm, admission is free)

EVENT:
Sunday 19 July, 2-4pm; Publication launch and film screening
Free, no booking necessary but limited capacity.

VENUE:
Madamme Lillies , 10 Cazenove Road, Stoke Newington, London, N16 6BD

This is the front room is the first group exhibition organised by the predominantly London based collective ‘The Elephant in the Corner’. The group was founded in March 2008, through a mutual interest in testing what female collectivism can evoke today. The exhibition presents new works by each of the founding artists, Zoë Anspach, Katie Aston, Amy Croft, Virginia Phongsathorn and Eira Szadurski.

Within the group each artist maintains her own practice and autonomy. As such, This is the front room suggests no overarching theme but is a live experiment in how sustained debate can manifest in an exhibition. In its nature, this approach tests what the counterpoints are between the artists' collective identification with certain references or opinions and the more individual concerns held personally and expressed within the work.

Of the same title, is the inaugural publication of Interval Publishing. The book 'This is the Front Room' includes selected material from the Elephant in the Corner wikispace (www.theelephantinthecorner.wikispaces.com) and has been edited by Gemma Sharpe, after ongoing and close dialogues with the group. The publication assembles and contrasts various points of interest that have informed This is the front room, in light of the group’s collaboration to date.

While developing both the exhibition and publication the short story 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) has been a key discussion point. Drawing on the themes of this text, the artists have selected a number of video works to be screened at an informal gathering, on the final day of the exhibition. Selected works include, Key//Lines by Peter Venus (2007, 2'00”), Dear Tom; A Chapter founded upon common Observations, in which is contained a few curious Matters by Mayling To (2009, 9'10") and Broad Travel, by Virginia Phongsathorn (2009, 3'00”, 16mm).