‘SKEE’ by Bora Akinciturk and Iain Ball @ narrative projects, London
2 Feb — 16 Feb 1019 narrative projects, London
The exhibition takes its name from a Lil Xan Song of the same name, “[Chorus] skee, skee, skee, skee, skee, skee, skee, skee”. In their work, Akinciturk and Ball delve into the collectivised phenomenon of what can be loosely defined as Cloud Rap (also termed as Soundcloud Rap, Internet Rap, Sad Rap and Sad Trap Music). The artists look at the influence the genre has had on popular culture in recent years, which came into focus after the deaths of rappers XXXtentacion and Lil Peep and the incarceration of rapper 6ix9ine.
Beyond the impact Cloud Rap has had on the public consciousness, the artists consider the genre’s interplay with internet subcultures and meme culture, mainstream RnB music, 90s Punk and 4th wave Emo. They examine its roots within niche internet microgenres such as Vaporwave and Witch House.
In SKEE, the artists are interested in the collective psyche of younger generations, and how their unique lived experience has the power to transform the way the world looks and feels. Working collaboratively, they have weaved together their own unique working processes, aesthetic interests and backgrounds combining their shared interest in fashion, internet culture and rap music.
This is the first project of ER, a new series that promote collaborative practices in contemporary moving image and installation. ER’s name is inspired by a tiny cellular structure, endoplasmic reticulum, which is a symbol of a fluid space that inspires for the generation and circulation of new ideas. It is an initiative to bring people together within and around its projects. ER is curated by Cem Hamlacıbaşı.