Courant D'Air - Virginie Litzler
New photography from recent RCA graduate at Hiscox Art Projects

9 April - 13 June 2008
Private View: Tuesday 8 April 18.30 - 20.30

17 March 2008 London, UK - Courant D'Air, Virginie Litzler's forthcoming exhibition presents a selection of photographs that take their inspiration from the changing atmospheric forces involved in the formation of a hurricane. Each of the photographs in the series is named after a 20th century hurricane, and draws a parallel between the hurricane and the figure.

The photographs appear to capture a figure suspended in time - on the verge of falling, in the moment before a collision. Figures bend and contort, as though perilously close to being blown off buildings by the force of a hurricane in full sway. Debris is flung through the air, narrowly avoiding injuring the figures.

Litzler's subjects are captured in the midst of these colliding forces. Her subjects appear to be balancing - not standing and not falling, but held in space by the atmospheric forces impacting upon their bodies. The debris introduces an additional force that seems set to disrupt the delicate equilibrium of the suspended figure.

Litzler's work examines the position of the body within the urban environment. Corners, edges, ledges, walls and facades of buildings provide a surface of support to her figures, which try to hold themselves to these extremities in a bid to maintain stability. Her figures perform gestures to test their balance and find their position within their surroundings. What she presents is not the disaster of the fall, nor the spectacle of the acrobat, but a necessary point of equilibrium. Finding this point of equilibrium is a common theme explored throughout the artist's work.

On graduation from the Royal College of Art in 2006, Litzler was awarded the Hiscox Bursary for Photography. She has shown work in numerous group shows, including: Chourouk Hriech et Virginie Litzler, Gallery Olivier Houg, Lyon, April-July 2007; Artfutures 2007, Bloomberg Space, London, March 2007; and Show Off, Espace Cardin, Paris, October 2006. She was nominated for the Sovereign European Art Prize in January 2008, and short-listed for the 1% Artistique Creps-Bourges in December 2006. From January-March 2006, she was artist in residence at La Cite des Arts, Paris, and has taken part in art fairs such as Photo Miami and Arco, Feria de Madrid.

Elliot McDonald, Curator of Hiscox Arts Projects said: "We first saw Virginie's work at her degree show at the Royal College of Art. We realised then that she is a very talented artist and have followed her career with interest ever since. This is her first solo show in the UK and it is a strong example of what Hiscox Art Projects is about: giving talented, emerging artists the chance to show their work in a public gallery."

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Exhibition Information
Hiscox Art Café, 1 Great St Helen's, London, EC3A 6HX
Monday - Friday 0730hrs - 1730hrs


Hiscox and Contemporary Art
Hiscox has a long and established association with contemporary art and is well-known for owning, collecting and insuring fine art. Hiscox was one of the first UK insurers to offer art insurance as a stand-alone insurance class for private collectors, museums and galleries. Driven by Chairman Robert Hiscox, the company has an impressive contemporary art collection that features over 50 artists including Damien Hirst, Richard Billingham, Marc Quinn, Mat Collishaw, Keith Coventry, Gregory Crewdson, Mark Wallinger and Cecily Brown. The collection is on permanent display in Hiscox offices around the world and is regularly updated.
Hiscox Art Projects is a contemporary exhibition space situated within the café of Hiscox's London office which aims to make contemporary collections and exhibitions readily accessible to those living and working in the City, as well as the wider art community. In addition to this, Hiscox enjoys uncovering and encouraging emerging talent and sponsors degree shows at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris and the Master of Fine Art Degree Show at the Glasgow School of Art.

For further information, go to http://www.hiscoxartprojects.com

About Hiscox
Hiscox, headquartered in Bermuda, is a specialist insurance group listed on the London Stock Exchange. There are three main underwriting parts of the Group - Hiscox Global Markets, Hiscox UK and Europe, and Hiscox International. Hiscox Global Markets underwrites mainly internationally traded business in the London Market - generally large or complex business which needs to be shared with other insurers or needs the international licences of Lloyd's. Hiscox UK and Hiscox Europe offer a range of specialist insurance for professionals and business customers, as well as high net worth individuals. Hiscox International includes operations in Bermuda, Guernsey and the USA. Hiscox Insurance Company Ltd, Hiscox Underwriting Ltd and Hiscox Syndicates Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

For further information, visit www.hiscox.com


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