firstsite contemporary art colchester

Paul Rooney, Warm Up

17 September – 4 December
Paul Rooney
Know You Place

Paul Rooney’s exhibition Know Your Place brings together recent works by this internationally emerging artist and coincides with the launch of Got Up Late The Other Day, his first survey publication.

Know Your Place marks a pivotal moment in Rooney’s career, tracing a shift in his interests and approach. His work has become more ambitious and poetic – reflecting his physical and conceptual move from a local to a global context. It introduces stronger historical and political themes and more wide ranging cultural reflections.

Rooney works with the media of text, sound, video and performance, using or referencing narrative forms such as song, comedy and other modes of storytelling. He often collaborates with people to engage with the particular roles they occupy, translating their commonplace stories into songs.

Rooney is currently attracting significant national and international attention, taking him from his home city of Liverpool to destinations as far flung as Cuba, Germany and Australia. He recently stayed in Berlin as artist in residence at Mobile Academy, based at Hebbel am Uffer.

The exhibition provides a broad range of complimentary work: the new commission Montecore explores the architecture and politics of a remarkable art school in Cuba. A recent collaboration with artists Emma Rushton and Derek Tyman resulted in Rooney’s homemade national anthem Willem van Liverpool being housed within the duo’s stunning tent made of fictional national flags. The exhibition also showcases Warm Up, a video piece introducing warm up man Ted Robbins from ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ and Bar at the Town House, a video projection referencing Manet’s famous painting ‘Bar at the Follies Bergere’.

	Paul Rooney, Warm Up 17 September – 4 December Paul Rooney Know You Place Paul Rooney’s exhibition Know Your Place brings together recent works by this internationally emerging artist and coincides with the launch of Got Up Late The Other Day, his first survey publication. Know Your Place marks a pivotal moment in Rooney’s career, tracing a shift in his interests and approach. His work has become more ambitious and poetic – reflecting his physical and conceptual move from a local to a global context. It introduces stronger historical and political themes and more wide ranging cultural reflections. Rooney works with the media of text, sound, video and performance, using or referencing narrative forms such as song, comedy and other modes of storytelling. He often collaborates with people to engage with the particular roles they occupy, translating their commonplace stories into songs. Rooney is currently attracting significant national and international attention, taking him from his home city of Liverpool to destinations as far flung as Cuba, Germany and Australia. He recently stayed in Berlin as artist in residence at Mobile Academy, based at Hebbel am Uffer. The exhibition provides a broad range of complimentary work: the new commission Montecore explores the architecture and politics of a remarkable art school in Cuba. A recent collaboration with artists Emma Rushton and Derek Tyman resulted in Rooney’s homemade national anthem Willem van Liverpool being housed within the duo’s stunning tent made of fictional national flags. The exhibition also showcases Warm Up, a video piece introducing warm up man Ted Robbins from ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ and Bar at the Town House, a video projection referencing Manet’s famous painting ‘Bar at the Follies Bergere’.