Elizabeth Prentis
Elizabeth Prentis exhibited with Collective Ending as part of ABSINTHE §2.
Elizabeth Prentis, JELLY FLIP I, 2019 (ABSINTHE §2)
Bio
Elizabeth’s practice straddles sculpture and performance. Choosing performance as a way to realise her sculptural works, she explores her struggle with the static nature of sculpture as a medium. Elizabeth activates these sculptures via performative processes, with help from assistants, audiences and/or machinery. Working with others is crucial not only for practical reasons, due to scale of the material and the spaces she inhabits, but also to explore her own interests in collaborative working, labour, gender stereotypes and bureaucratic systems.
The risk of failure and Risk Management are dominant in Elizabeth’s practice. Works are produced only once and are unrehearsed. The nature of executing sculpture through live performance often throws up unexpected challenges and situations. Reacting to these issues with an audience creates an honest, often hilarious and exciting experience for all involved. This intuitive way of working creates absurd and humorous interactions between the audience, artist, material and process.
Elizabeth (b. UK) lives and works in Lisbon. She graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts in 2016. Recent exhibitions and projects include: I don’t like broccoli (but I’ll try anything once) (Solo Exhibition) at Lungley Gallery (London, 2019), SMORGASBORD (Group Exhibition) at Take Courage Gallery (London, 2019), Does it Stick? (Group Exhibition) at A.P.T Gallery (London, 2018).