Marie-Jeanne Hoffner: A Particular Portion of Space at PayneShurvell

PayneShurvell on Hewett Street is a relatively new gallery whose focus is the work of living contemporary artists. Founded in 2010, it has already hosted exhibitions by many emerging artists such as Daisy Delaney and Hannah Brown, as well as a couple of well-renowned figures like feminist artist Margaret Harrison.

The gallery’s space is small yet versatile; the artists are encouraged to engage with the space by creating interventions, so that the setting for each show is very different.

PayneShurvell’s latest exhibition A Particular Portion of Space is the first UK solo show of work by Paris-based Marie-Jeanne Hoffner. The exhibition includes pieces in a range of media from drawing and photography to videos and large-scale site-specific sculpture.

The theme that is initially obvious is folding, or dividing. A wooden frame-like structure, bearing the same name as the exhibition A Particular Portion of Space (2012) runs through the gallery, obscuring and fragmenting it. This mirrors the lines visible in all the pieces hung upon the walls.

The three inkjet prints belonging to the Carbone series (2009) are the only coloured pieces in the space and so demand the viewer’s attention. Their vivid blocks in yellow, red and blue glisten with an almost silk-like appearance in places, and their smooth surfaces are disfigured by the memories of the lines along which they were once folded.

While these pieces deal with the physical result of folding, the two videos Folds Endless Folds and Mirror Folds (both 2012) focus on the action itself, in particular, the repetition involved in creating folded pieces such as the Photocopliée (2012) series that is displayed nearby. 

The most intricate pieces in the exhibition are hung in the gallery’s office. Espaces (1&2) (2006) deal with structures and depth, through the medium of drawings on graph paper with cut out areas, and are reminiscent of the art of découpage.

The concept of the exhibition is simple yet original; the use of the space is impressive and the pieces are certainly deserving of contemplation. The show can be particularly recommended to those interested in contemporary or minimalist art.

Melanie Weaver

Marie-Jeanne Hoffner: A Particular Portion of Space is at PayneShurvell until 9^th February 2013. For further information visit the gallery’s website here.