E2: A Commentary on Productivity

E2: A Commentary on Productivity (ACOP) is a mixed-media group show by Kirsty McKellar in conjunction with Ladder Art Space. ACOP hopes to create a collective voice on the meaning of being productive in a contemporary context. It beckons artists and audience members to reflect on what productivity is: is it important in day-to-day life? Is it self-driven, and/or is it something (positive/neutral/negative) they feel society requires of them? As part of initiative olis, ACOP brings together local and international talents, both established in their careers and emerging, from a variety of practical and formal fine art and creative backgrounds.

Exhibition Two (E2) exists as the second and final instalment of this series, the first taking place in Berlin last year. For Exhibition One (E1) artists were asked to create an experimental, blueprint or prototype artwork, with an emphasis being placed on the artistic process over the final product. E1 was held in the former VEB Berliner Metallhütten und Halbzeugwerke building complex in Schöneweide, Berlin for an informal showcasing. Experimentation and creation at the vacant former metalwork factory allowed artists to express themselves and their ideas in a low-pressure environment (without a formal audience), providing them the space and time in their artistic practice to assemble their ideas. Now the artists join me again at Ladder Art Space, showcasing their final works from the fourteen-month long project.