Preview night: Sophia Al-Maria and Lydia Ourahmane, Grey Unpleasant Land

Preview night: Sophia Al-Maria and Lydia Ourahmane, Grey Unpleasant Land

Sophia Al-Maria and Lydia Ourahmane. Courtesy the artists

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Join us for an evening preview of the new Spike Island exhibition: Grey Unpleasant Land

Combining a range of media—including historical artefacts, speculative narratives and petitions to patrons—Grey Unpleasant Land examines England’s legacy as an institution both fragile and enduring. Through their individual yet interconnected practices, Al-Maria and Ourahmane create a unique lens to explore the complex and often troubling layers of England’s cultural and historical landscape.

SCHEDULE

6PM: Doors open

6–8PM: Exhibition preview

8–9PM: Phia500 DJ set

9–10PM: Food and drink available from Emmeline cafe

SOPHIA AL-MARIA
Sophia Al-Maria is a London-based artist. Al-Maria has had recent solo exhibitions at Henry Art Gallery, Seattle; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; La Biennale di Venezia, Venice; LUMA Arles; Tate Britain, London, and numerous others. She is the author of three books: Sad Sack (Book Works, London, 2019 & 2023), Virgin with a Memory (Cornerhouse Publications, Manchester, 2014), and The Girl Who Fell to Earth (Harper Perennial, New York, 2012).

LYDIA OURAHMANE
Lydia Ourahmane is an artist based in Barcelona, London and Algiers. Ourahmane has had recent solo exhibitions at MACBA, Barcelona, SculptureCentre, New York; rhizome, Algiers; Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland; S.M.A.K Ghent; Portikus, Frankfurt; De Appel, Amsterdam; Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco and Chisenhale Gallery, London, among others. Her work was included in the 60th La Biennale di Venezia, 15th Gwangju Biennale, 34th Bienal de Sao Pãulo, New Museum Triennale and Manifesta 12.

PHIA500
Inspired by her love of early UKG and hardcore, PHIA500 sets are jam packed with classic UK sounds. Fusing this with newer, turbo-charged selections, she regularly brings her choppy style to Bristol’s favourite venues, whilst supporting some of the biggest names across modern jungle and garage.