ProPaganDaDa: Kendell Geers

Kendell Geers presents ProPaganDaDa, a series of projects that question elements such as language, the art system, history, perception and spirituality. The artworks also challenge logical mechanisms and fixed structures. Geers’ work avoids any type of verbalization, even as the artist employs linguistic elements in his pieces, or he himself writes. Many critics have attempted to describe his work, despite it being irreducible to explanations, criticisms or exegesis. Writing about Kendell Geers’ artistic production implies recognizing that the act of writing is not enough. In this case, writing is simply an uncertain, incomplete orientation; a palliative prosthesis.

In order to aproach an exhibition by Kendell Geers, one must abandon all verbal weapons and accept a body to body with the artworks. That is, to accept that the body experiences and disputes with the intellect the authority of the “art comprehension”. For a long time, emotions, feelings, sensitivity, etcetera, are states that have manifested the perception of art, but Kendell Geers transcends the common repertoire. He mobilizes a wider spectrum of corporeal affections: uncertainty, unease, anxiety, fear, terror, repulsion, loathing, strength, violence… But also its inseparable contraries: satisfaction, joy, laughter, pleasure, ecstasy, attraction, desire or orgasm. Geers’ art also explores different paths that have been traditionally classified as paranormal and been dismissed by the Western approach to art. Western thought is primarily based in reason -meaning spirituality, mysticism, magic, shamanism, delirium, hysteria and trance are usually sidelined.