The Six Hundred Seventy-Four Forms And A Dragon, 2023

A Solo Show at FOR space, Basel.

What a pleasure it would be to sit in the theatre and experience in real life how a group of talking bees in yellow and black costumes storm a steaming laboratory made of papier- mâché, as the audience under the surrounding noise of loud buzzing and trembling begins to hope and conjure up the inevitable moment when the dragon enters the stage, only there is no stage and no audience, because the audience itself wears horse masks and marches together with the dragon across the streets towards an uncertain future.

When reality resembles a science-fiction narrative, in which not only the infinity of the universe and the retrogression of time are difficult to grasp, but also the patenting of
plants and colors and the rapid rhythm of extinct organisms elude one’s imagination – then potential for action may open up precisely where the boundary between the fictional and the real becomes blurred and the imagination of an alternative reality can be experienced. New myths are built on the ruins of violently induced losses, repairing the familiar in symbolic dimension and forming a battalion in which the paralysis can be cured and the threat can be met in shared, playful leadership. Welcome!

In dialogue with the exhibition, a magazine was published with text contributions by Hala N. Barakat, Francesco Buscemi, Ismail Fayed and Laila Gutknecht.

📸 Gina Folly

Installation view FOR space, Basel.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Future Farms (Organic), 2023, polyester, fibreglass, 2k-paint, acrylic, corn husks, EPAL-pallets, installation dimensions variable.

Exhibition view, Yasmine El Meleegy, The six hundred seventy-four forms and a dragon, For, Basel.

Exhibition view, Yasmine El Meleegy, The six hundred seventy-four forms and a dragon, For, Basel.

The six hundred seventy-four forms and a dragon, 2023, InkJet print on transparent film, dia-projector, vegetable boxes, food grade safe pp leno bags, cushions, 80 slides, loop, installation dimensions variable.

Exhibition view, Yasmine El Meleegy, The six hundred seventy-four forms and a dragon, For, Basel.

Harvest Mold, 2023, gypsum, 58 x 52 x 10 cm.

For season 2023-2024 is supported by:
Pro Helvetia, Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt, Abteilung Kultur Basel-Stadt, Christoph Merian Stiftung, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Guggenheim-Stiftung, Stiftung Temperatio, ISEK Universität Zürich.

This exhibition is a collaboration with this years Culturescapes festival.
It was made possible with additional support by Culturescapes, Südkulturfonds, PALECO, Coop Europe, Felix Fluri, Fabian Peña, Jan van Oordt, Paolo Russano, Judith Kakon, Tweaklab, Céline Burnand, Mohamed Reda (Flavio), Mostafa Samy Mahdi.