Park McArthur in conversation with Isla Leaver-Yap

New York based artist Park McArthur works in sculpture, sound and text. Through her work, she raises questions about embodiment and how ideas can be represented in a tangible and visual way.

To coincide with her new exhibition at Chisenhale Gallery, McArthur is joined in conversation by Isla Leaver-Yap, Walker Art Center's Bentson Scholar of Moving Image in Minneapolis and Director of LUX, Scotland.

The exhibition includes several large sculptures made from high-density acoustic foam and a series of paper pieces, which have been treated with superabsorbent powder, which can soak up and hold large quantities of liquid. With these new works, McArthur explores how materials have the potential to change over time through interaction with their environment. Taking this as their starting point, Leaver-Yap and McArthur lead a discussion on what it means for materials to undergo a process of transformation or change, drawing connections with wider questions of social change.

This event will be BSL interpreted. If you have any other access needs that you would like to let us know about please contact: Anna Murray, Assistant Curator: Access anna.murray@tate.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7887 8888. Watch the conversation here.

Park McArthur

Park McArthur was born in North Carolina, USA and lives and works in New York. Solo exhibitions include Lars Friedrich, Berlin (2014); Yale Union, Portland, Oregon (2014); and Essex Street, New York (2014). Group exhibitions include Greater New York, PS1 MoMA, New York; Unorthodox, The Jewish Museum, New York; Ludwig Forum, Aachen (all 2015). Her writing has been included has been published in Women & Performance: A journal of feminist theory with Constantina Zavitsanos, and The Happy Hypocrite edited by Isla Leaver-Yap. McArthur co-edited the book Beverly Buchanan, 1978 – 1981 (Athénée Press 2015) with Jennifer Burris Staton and together they are organizing an exhibition of Buchanan’s work for The Sackler Center for Feminist Art at The Brooklyn Museum, opening September 2016. 

Isla Leaver-Yap

Isla Leaver-Yap works with artists to produce texts and events. They are Walker Art Center’s Bentson Moving Image Scholar, Minneapolis; and LUX Scotland’s Director. Recent projects include work with Uri Aran, Leslie Thornton, Lucy McKenzie, Hanne Darboven, Andrea Büttner, Shahryar Nashat, Moyra Davey, Dexter Sinister, James Richards, and Radclyffe Hall.

In partnership with Chisenhale Gallery.

Tate Talks is supported by The J Isaacs Charitable Trust.