Trace / Taenu opened in London on the 23 rd of May 2007 in the Woburn Studios, Bloomsbury, and ran until the 26 th of May 2007. Organized by MA students from the SLADE School of Fine Art, the exhibition featured those from the ‘media' department, who work and experiment with photography, film, performance, video, installation and sound.

After the success the London show the SLADE collective retained a hard-core group of 28 practitioners taking the exhibition to Stolzestrasse 11 , [Konstablerwache] in Frankfurt. They will showcase a site specific version of the new work produced during 2007 @ tactileBOSCH from Saturday 16th - 24th Feb. Opening @ 6.30pm on Saturday 16 th Feb. [remaining till Sat 24 th ]

Recognising common subjects of investigation, which had emerged in the preceding months, the general term ‘contrast' was selected as a working title by the artists. The term referred to obvious formal contrasts explored such as black and white and light and shadow, and regarding content - contradictions and exaggerations, fiction and reality. After in-depth discussion emphasis was placed on the play with light, use of black-and-white studies and a sense of theatricality, as the major themes or interests of the exhibition. The title "Trace" was then developed, capturing the essence of the "quiet" statements observed in all participating artists and their work.

Showing experimental films, videos, installations, photographs and drawings.

The exhibition highlights the strong shift in creative expression and social sensitivity seen in the last few years. Young artists are no longer interested in using complex interweaving, aggressive methods and shock tactics in their art but follow a more rigid, calculated and understated direction: although leaving traces quietly, they are no less determined. The work appears "natural", its casualness is convincing, as art should not be any more exerted; but is volatile, surprising, precise and significant.

Since the participating artists originate from many different countries, it will be a chance to see international post graduate students evolve work in situ @ the studio before taking the exhibition up to Liverpool to showcase their endeavours further during Liverpool's' City of Culture 2008. Several participants intend to take the exhibition to their home cities. Which range from Korea – Japan, Poland to Spain drawing attention to the wide range of talent emerging from the Slade School of Fine Art to the international art arena.

Supported by: