German artist’s double treat (From Echo)

German artist’s double treat

5:30am Thursday 3rd November 2011 in Leisure By Hannah Marsh

WHEN Focal Point curator Saim Demircan invited German artist Kai Althoff to take part in an exhibition at the Southend gallery, he had no idea he’d never made a solo gallery appearance in this country before.

In a unique gesture Kai, invited Saim to make his own choices on what pieces of work to use.

He also collaborated with fellow artist and director Yair Oelbaum to create a performance piece, There We Will Be Buried, being staged at Westcliff’s Dixon Studio tonight, Friday and Saturday.

Saim, who curates the museum’s off-site events, says: “While Kai might not be a household name, he’s certainly very prolific and has been exhibiting since the early Nineties.”

He knows Kai well as he researched his work for his thesis. For the exhibition, called Kaiki, he has selected pieces going right back to Kai’s teenage years and childhood.

It will see a range of work, from paintings and drawings to event invitation designs, pieces of film and a 9m-long sculpture.

The play, meanwhile, takes on a traditional narrative with a surealistic edge.

“It’s about two women who are on a journey to find a lost daughter,” explains Saim.

“The daughter may or may not be real in the end and it’s quite surreal and dreamlike. The two women are played by Yair and Kai and it’s a dreamlike journey to find this missing child.”

Kaiki is at the Focal Point Gallery, Southend Central Library, Victoria Avenue, Southend from Monday until January.

There We Will Be Buried Palace Theatre, Dixon Studio, London Road, Westcliff.

£6-£8.

Today, 1.30pm Tomorrow and Saturday, 7.30pm 01702 351135