Visual Art

THE SOUL IS PLACED BETWEEN TWO ETERNALLY REFLECTING MIRRORS

Loggia of Mind

Opposi esa rat:

Alexander Kennedy looks at the work of Raphael Danke, where broken wardrobes. ripped shopping bags and spliced photographs evoke angels and devils

t'x liaitl not to tixc clichcx \xhcn talking ahonl good art. htit it cannot hc tlcnictl that lhc xiinplcxt itIcax \xcll c\cctitctl ol'tcn gtiai‘antcc quality 'I‘liix notion ix ccrtainh trnc ol thc \\orI\ ol' Raphacl Hankc at Sorcha l)a|Iax. \xlicrc a xcricx ol‘ collagcx anti xcnlptnrcx h} tlic Itcrlitthaxctl artixt ix ctirrcnth on xlioxx. 'I'Iic nork inanagcx to xiintiItancotixl} c\prcxx a xcnxc ol' tlic ahxtn'tl alongxitlc in}xtica| and px_\choanal_\tical inxightx into xtthjccti\it_\. 'I‘hc xtihicct ix tlc carnalixctl. Icax ing ti‘accx that xignil'} thc

hotl_\ I>ankc hax xpiritctI ;t\\;l_\. 'I‘licxc arc

inctapli_\xica| \\orkx that hopc to cxplain tlic lall ol

.\Ian. placing tlic xoul hctuccn l\\o ctcrnall} rcl'lccting inirrorx thc nothingncxx that c\pantlx hcl‘orc antI altcr incarnation. .\|I ol‘ tliix ix con\c_\ cd in a l‘cu cut tip photographx. |)ior xhopping hagx and a \L‘l lL‘\ Ul- tIL‘L‘UlhIl'tchCtI \\ ttl‘tIl‘ttIM‘x.

'I‘hc titlc ol thc xhou. .‘t'I‘t'lI/l! l/t'ili‘r'n. ix Il'llI_\ appoxitc. .\x thc laxt cclcxtial court thc xotiI paxxcx IItl‘tttlg‘Il [‘L‘I‘UI‘L‘ I‘L‘t‘ttllilllg‘ I‘iIk'L‘ Itt lacc \\iIIl (itttI. IIIC xc\cnt|i hca\cn ix a placc ol~ ctcrnal rcxt. \xlicrc thc xcll‘ ix c\tingtnxhct| antl hccontcx onc \xitli thc tIcil). Dankc crcatcx a paraIIcl hctuccn thix Il‘ttthItH'llltlIlttli tlliLI IIIL‘ L‘llipl} c‘ttl'L‘ til IIIL‘ IlL‘ttl'I Uli IItL‘ dcconxtrttctcd xtihicct in contcniporat') philoxopli}.

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84THELIST i"\.

\ihcrc tlcit} ix ahxcnt. )t‘t thc_\ .ilxo cmkc tIic \\cight oli t‘cligiottx paraphcrnalia: conlcxxionalx. tahcrnaclcx antl llic l'i'anicx arotintl iconx.

In tlic l'otir photograplix in thc lirxt ga||ci_\ tlic aitixt liax collagctl iinagcx ol' tlic hallcrina \Iatgol I'ontc}n to crcatc coinpoxitionx that arc hoth ritlictilonx and touching. Il' hallct ix a xt) lixation ol' Innnanx‘ attcnipt to tlcl} grant} or cxcapc thc hotl). lhc gt‘acc ol tlic IMIIIL‘I tIanccr Cttll ttIxti hccomc it tiLIII\L‘ IllilL'ilI‘I'L‘I IIIL‘ thing x\\an can look likc a grotintlctl thick. llailing IIL‘II‘IL‘\\I}.

Dankc cinphaxixcx tlic gl'a\italional iIIIti xpiritnal l'orccx at pla} on thc hotl}. calling cach coinpoxition al'tcr a lallcn anch t'l’ocaloi”. 'Sonncillon'. ‘Nclchacl' antl 'Ratnn‘ l. thtix cnlorcing thc p|a_\ ol oppoxitcx that can hc l'otintI in tlic xplicctl antl l'lippctl photographic iinagcx.

Sonic ol‘ tlic \xot'kx on tltxpla} tIcnionxtralc I)attkc\ ongoing laxcination \xith px_\ c'liiitiii;iI}xix. "I lic Hoot” ix coinprixctl ol a collcction ol I)ior xliopping hagx. CllI tittull IIIL‘ IIIItitiiC illIti \L‘Ittll’alcti \H IIlt‘ \Mll'ti ‘I)ooi” ix rc\ca|ctl in thc gap. 'I’hix xinipIc intcrxcntion pIa_\x \xith thc itlca ol' pai‘apraxix. \klicrc a xlip ol tlic tonguc til' :1 ltlI\I;tI\L‘ l't‘\L‘tlI\ tl LIL'CI‘L‘I‘ tiL‘fll‘C. Blll all that ix rcwach tic-w ix anothcr opcnittg. anothcr gap \xlicrc onth tchircx can nc\cr hc \tlII\IIL‘tI. I)ankc rcinintlx uon thc tlllL‘;t\_\ rclationxhip hctxxccn xpirittialit} and px} clioanahxix. \\ licrc thc px_\chc and thc xotiI canch cach othcr otit lca\ ing thc hrtitc hotI} xtantIing Raphael Danke, Sorcha Dallas, until Sat 10 Nov 0...

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THE BEST EXHIBITIONS

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>l< Raphael Danke: Seventh Heaven After recently being taken on as one of the gallery's roster artists. Raphael Danke's exhibition of sculptures and collaged photographs at Sorcha Dallas examine abstruse theological ideas and psychoanalytic theories in elegant and well-realised work that transcends the complexity of the subject matter. See review, left. Sorcha Dal/as, Glasgow, until Sat 10 Nov.

* Johanna Billing Billing’s film work examines the weight and unease of strange and awkward everyday situations. In using a host of non-actors. players who are taken out of their comfort zone and forced to perform. the artist hopes to create work that fluctuates between document and fiction. where the everyday becomes uncanny. See review. page 85. BOA, Dundee, until Sun 4 Nov. * Monika Sosnowska: Display After recent critically acclaimed solo exhibitions at MoMA, New York. and the Serpentine Gallery, London. Sosonowska presents a new site specific architectural inspired work at Talbot Rice Gallery. The artist uses the language of architecture against itself, to create models and environments that effect a growing sense of unease in the viewer. Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh, until Sat 8 Dec.

=I= Alasdair Gray:

1 950-2007 A retrospective of watercolours. drawings, dust jacket designs and paintings by one of Scotland's most respected draughtsmen and authors. The work on show includes well-known paintings recently shown at Glasgow School of Art (‘Cowcaddens in the 503’ and “May Hooper'), as well as some early landscapes and portraits of family members and close friends. Café Cossachok, Glasgow, until Sat 20 Oct.