Tarik Ahlip

Negative

2 April26 April 2015

This April Chapter House Lane presents Sydney artist Tarik Ahlip’s hand-carved concrete sculptures and plaster reliefs.

The harmonious lines and quiet gravitas of Ahlip’s work would not be out of place in a temple. The forms in ‘Negative’ speak of the body, the built environment and nature all at once – found palm fruits are displayed like skulls on ornamental handmade stands, a concrete lip drops in an organic form from an otherwise classical column.

Ahlip is exploring the status of the object and its perceived value, but also its impermanence. The restraint of each sculpture belies a series of complex ideas – questions of power, nature, destruction and desire. Reliefs named for a William Golding novella describe a girl objectified in a coming-of-age dance; reduced to an exploded atomised body, she is desired yet totally diminished. Ahlip creates these reliefs with single-use cardboard moulds, making and remaking as he reduces the detail with each iteration – an editing process that only serves to refine and sharpen the outcome.

Chapter House Lane is excited to present Ahlip’s first solo exhibition, bringing his striking works to Victorian audiences. Drawing on his past experiences in architecture, set design and printmaking, Ahlip’s recent shift into a sculptural practice shows a confidence beyond its years. He is currently working as an artist in residence at Parramatta Artists Studios.

Please note this show will finish on Sunday 26 April, a week earlier than advertised, due to construction work in the laneway.