(behind the scenes) Reality or Not – Cécile B. Evans at Modal Gallery

Modal Gallery at Manchester Metropolitan University’s SODA is proud to present the new work of American-Belgian artist Cécile B. Evans. The artist’s work addresses the impact of the rebellion of emotions when they encounter ideological, physical, and technical structures. Weaving elements of storytelling, speculative fiction, and interactive technologies, Evans’ artworks frame questions about the fabrication of culture and reality.

SODA is a co-commissioner for Evans’ new work Reality or Not, a film about the production and distortion of reality. In it, a group of teenage girls are asked to participate in a reality show about building their own reality. We also meet a former Real Housewives star turned hacker using a livestream platform to operate an anti-imperialist bling ring, a stealthy butterfly, a statue furious with its status as a symbol (based on an Iceni tribal leader), and a collective of rejected renders, among others.

The storyline refutes linear narrative, with scenes connecting different realities across the entire work. In keeping with the film’s theme of reality production, and SODA as a site of production, MODAL will be exhibiting a breakdown of 5 scenes from the finished film, each accompanied by a commentary from Evans and various team members. There will be a single screening of the entire film in the SODA Cinema space during the exhibition – date to be announced.

Evans’ work examines the value of emotion and its rebellion as it comes into contact with ideological, physical, and technological structures. They are currently working on a new performance commission for the MOVE festival at Centre Pompidou Paris (FR).

Recent selected solo exhibitions include 49 Nord 6 Est – Frac Lorraine (FR), Museum Abteiberg (DE), Tramway (UK), Chateau Shatto (US), Museo Madre (IT), mumok Vienna (AT), Castello di Rivoli (IT), Galerie Emanuel Layr, Vienna (AT), Tate Liverpool (UK), Kunsthalle Aarhus (DK), M Museum Leuven (BE), De Hallen Haarlem (NL), and Serpentine Galleries (UK). Evans’ work has been included amongst others at Whitechapel Gallery (UK), Haus der Kunst (DE), Mito Art Tower (JP), Renaissance Society Chicago (US), the 7th International Moscow Biennale (RU), the 4th Ural Industrial Biennial (RU), Galerie Kamel Mennour (FR), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen (DK), the 9th Berlin Biennale (DE), the 20th Sydney Biennale (AUS), Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona (ES), and Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (FR). Evans’ films have been screened in festivals such as the New York Film Festival and Rotterdam International. Public collections include The Museum of Modern Art, New York (US), The Rubell Family Collection, Miami (US), Whitney Museum of American Art (US), De Haallen (NL), Castello di Rivoli, Turin (IT), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen (DK), and FRAC Auvergne (FR).