Opening Reception: Saturday, June 9, 8:00pm – 12:00am.

On view through July 21, 2018.
Open Saturdays, 12:00pm – 6:00pm.
For questions and appointments, please contact info@bbqla.net

Las Lenguas

curated by Gladys-Katherina Hernando

Manny Castro
Raúl Guerrero
Alan Gutierrez
Yaron Michael Hakim
Shaun Johnson
Sofía Londoño
Jesse Mockrin
Nora Riggs
Ellen Schafer
Hiejin Yoo

The Spanish word lengua means both tongue (speech) and language (system of communication), it refers to the muscular organ that is part of the mouth, the biological element of the body that allows for the transmission of dialogue. Tongues are our bodies and our bodies are a tongue. There is no speech without the tongue and no language without tongues.

A tongue is bitten, silenced, vocalized. It can bless or it can curse. The tongue can taste and swallow, it can kiss and it can lick. The tongue can figuratively heal or it can burn. Tongues are cut as a form of punishment, tortured for lies or betrayal. Certain cultures consume the tongue of cows as part of their cuisine. In others, tongues are used for brujeria (witchcraft) and magic spells. Tongues can complete sentences or remain silent. When their purpose is for derogatory speech, malas lenguas (bad tongues) is the turn of phrase. Though the tongue itself remains relatively concealed, generally unnoticed, autonomic like the breath, it can quietly and unassumingly destroying people and nations with its enormous, self-effacing power.

Las Lenguas is an exploration of the potential languages of the body, presenting works that consider the representation of the figure by way of its inaudible gestures of expression, from the tacit to the implicit. Lenguas demand sensitive observation, if not perception, to recognize the variety of their semblances. Truth beyond the territory of your own lengua(s) is unknown.
Do not expect to see the soul in the eyes of another. Las lenguas shapeshift in the nuance of a lover or a stranger, from the alienation of a foreign language, and in the failures of both the voice and the body to translate into distinguishable codes of associations. Las Lenguas figuratively translate the mysterious shapes and sounds made by the body that reveal or conceal the interior and exterior worlds in which it exists.

For further information, or to schedule an appointment, please email info@bbqla.net.

BBQLA is a migrating installation conceived by Timo Fahler, Thomas Linder, and Adam Beris. BBQLA hosts creative programs in various locations based on a collective agreement and curated by either the BBQLA team or through collaborative efforts.