The Camden Arts Centre is featuring the work of two artists at the moment, David Askevold and Mathilde Rosier.

David Askevold was born in the U.S., and studied art in both Montana and New York, but adopted Canada, specifically Nova Scotia, as an outlet for a great deal of his artistic expression. Askevold is actually referred to in Camden Arts Centre literature as a Canadian artist, and did in fact pass away in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2008. The current exhibition of his work, entitled “The Disorientation Scientist” involves work from a number of different mediums, including photography, video, sound art and pencil drawing.

The collection on display takes the viewer on a surreal, psychoanalytical and performative journey through the conceptual progression of David Akevold’s artistic being. He favours naturalistic themes, often taken from the Western United States or the Canadian province Nova Scotia. One of the installations, a series of five photographs entitled Ten States in the West, highlights Askevold’s obsession with nature, but also leaves the viewer questioning “Ten states of what?”.  Askevold’s exhibition also includes four video installations of interest. Especially worth attention is Askevold’s Sixteen Candles 1991, which is an almost hypnotizing viewing experience.

The second exhibition  is Mathilde Rosier’s “Necklace of Fake Teeth”. Mathilde Rosier is a French artist, who makes her UK debut at the Camden Arts Centre. Her exhibition also explores many mediums, including video art, water colour and sculpture. She cites her influences for this installation as Sigmund Freud, Jean Rouch’s 1955 film Les Maîtres Fous, and Howard Carter’s excavation of Tutankhamen’s tomb. Many of the works have a theatrical quality to them, which is well paired with the exhibition space. Her video installation is particularly interesting, which she filmed with guests at the opening night of her Camden Arts Centre exhibition.

The Camden Arts Centre also has a lovely café. It is open until 6pm most days and until 9pm on Wednesdays.

David Askevold: The Disorientation Scientist; Mathilde Rosier: Necklace of Fake Teeth. Until 25 September 2011

http://www.camdenartscentre.org/exhibitions/