I am NOT tino sehgal

For its inaugural show this summer, Nahmad Projects is pleased to announce its collaboration with renowned curator Francesco Bonami. I am NOT tino sehgal, running from 10 June to 20 July, will be the gallery’s first experimental project and the first in a series to bring new energy to Mayfair’s artistic landscape. Bonami explains: ‘the idea to create a project inspired by the work of German artist Tino Sehgal has been on my mind for quite a while, even though Tino Sehgal himself is not involved in the exhibition. I am reflecting on a century of contemporary art that began in 1917 with Duchamp’s Fountain and unravelled until now with a continuous debate about the art object and its absence or disappearance. Tino Sehgal’s practice questions many issues related to our contemporary relationship with art, image production and distribution, with the market and with the mere exchange of commodities through different means, both symbolic and monetary. Tino Sehgal was revolutionary in dematerialising art, making us reflect on what art is, who creates it, and who owns it. This exhibition aims to take these ideas even further. I feel that to test the concept of I am NOT tino sehgal in a gallery with a name associated with the market could be a very interesting exercise to see if experiments are still allowed in today’s art world and artistic production. My idea here is to investigate through the work of other artists whether a practice like this can still respond to the criteria of art production, exhibition and distribution. If Tino Sehgal’s works are ‘constructed situations’, I am NOT tino sehgal will be an exercise in deconstructing this idea and see where it ends up, if anywhere at all. Our project should be perceived as an homage to one of the most radical artists of our time. We aim to raise questions and hopefully to also produce some fun.’ Young artists from around the world will be invited to submit an original script inspired by Tino Sehgal’s practice via a ‘Call for Artists’ to be launched on 4 April. The worldwide ‘Call for Artists’ will be open to individuals aged 20-35, including students from art schools. Thirty scripts will be selected by Bonami and Nahmad Projects, following specific selection criteria and requirements set out in the ‘Call for Artists’, and will form the seed of a set of thirty unique performances. I am NOT tino sehgal will be in perpetual motion, with one performance showcased every day over 30 days. Introducing unconventional exhibition models and offering visitors a fresh artistic experience in Mayfair are part of Nahmad Projects’ mission. As Joseph Nahmad comments: ‘with this project, our aim is to radically look towards the future, to invite young artists to bring life to our space with thought-provoking and stimulating projects, to raise essential questions about art and bring a sense of fun in a gallery environment. I think visitors will experience something completely new here.’