Geoffrey Farmer: Let’s make the water turn black

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The artistic practice of Geoffrey Farmer (*1967, lives and works in Vancouver) integrates forms of collecting and scholarship employed by cultural historians, and draws on a diverse repertoire. After extensive research, the artist builds collections that unite aspects of visual art, literature, music, politics, history, and sociology, and crystallize in sprawling theatrical installations. * * This publication, offers a detailed insight in Geoffrey Farmer’s complex installation “Let’s make the water turn black,”—which echoes a 1968 composition by Frank Zappa, from which it also borrows the title— and contextualizes it with his other script-based sculptural and kinetic works since the early 1990s, with contributions by Kathy Noble, Michael Turner, Aram Moshayedi, and Jan Verwoert. And a preface by the editors. * * In 2012, Geoffrey Farmer contributed his “Leaves of Grass” (2012) to Documenta 13; in 2011, he participated in the 12th Istanbul Biennial. His work has been on display in numerous solo shows, as well as at REDCAT, Los Angeles, and Casey Kaplan Gallery, New York (both 2011). Farmer also participated in the project “The Garden of Forking Paths” (2011), initiated by the Migros Museum of Contemporary Art. * * Published with Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, Zurich; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; Kunstverein Hamburg; and Nottingham Contemporary.