MASSIMODECARLO Hong Kong is pleased to present Freddie Mercury, Brian Rochefort’s third exhibition with the gallery, and his first solo presentation in Asia.
Let us address the elephant in the room: how did iconic rock star Freddie Mercury make his way into Brian Rochefort’s exhibition? Like much of Rochefort’s practice, these new works are highly informed by his travels. When discussing the exhibition, Rochefort explains that the starting point for the show came from his 2018 trip to East Africa, notably through Tanzania and Zanzibar. Over the course of those three weeks, Rochefort repeatedly noticed posters, figurines and knickknacks of Freddie Mercury scattered around various towns. At the time, Rochefort was unaware that Freddie Mercury was born in Tanzania and is regarded as a national treasure.
The unexpected connection of Mercury’s heritage - and the notion of clash and cluster between apparently distance universes - prompted Rochefort to explore concepts of limit and dissonance, which are associated in his own practice. He picked up listening to the very familiar music of Queen with a different understanding, driven by Freddie Mercury’s diverse approach to rock music and tradition – a perspective that Rochefort similarly maintains in his own practice by pushing the limits of a historically developed medium, that of the clay. A ‘kindred spirit’ is how the artist describes this association.
Gallery address: Shop 03-205A & 205B & 206, Second Floor, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, No. 10 Hollywood Road, Central