Frances Stark

greengrassi, London

greengrassi

Installation view of a large room with a wide, white wall, light grey ceiling, and light grey, polished floor. We are standing in front of the white wall, which takes up a little over half of the image. Above it, we can see the ceiling which appears to be made out of large, rectangular, and vertically oriented tiles within a structure of steel beams. To the left and in the middle of the ceiling, we can see two rectangular, vertically oriented skylights. Just below the ceiling, perpendicular to the wall, four white beams protrude. On them, we can see spotlights mounted, directed at the wall. On the wall hangs a series of seven paintings, tightly hung in equal intervals. The paintings are white except for around the bottom edges, where we can see the raw cotton canvas. Against the white background, the paintings all have black text in blocks aligned to the left margin, and a title at the top center. On the painting to the very left, we can see the silhouette of a woman with the back against us, painted in black and white. She is standing on a ladder, with her right leg on the first step and her left on the third, while painting the title at the top of the painting with a brush held in her raised right hand.

Installation view of the same large room with a wide, white wall, light grey ceiling, and light grey, polished floor as in the previous image. We are standing to the left in front of the white wall, which takes up a little over half of the image. Above it, we can see the ceiling which appears to be made out of large, rectangular, and vertically oriented tiles within a structure of steel beams. To the left and in the middle of the ceiling, we can see two rectangular, vertically oriented skylights. Just below the ceiling, perpendicular to the wall, four white beams protrude. On them, we can see spotlights mounted, directed at the wall. On the wall hangs a series of seven paintings, tightly hung in equal intervals. The paintings are white except for around the bottom edges, where we can see the raw cotton canvas. Against the white background, the paintings all have black text in blocks aligned to the left margin, and a title at the top center. On the painting to the very left, we can see the silhouette of a woman with the back against us, painted in black and white. She is standing on a ladder, with her right leg on the first step and her left on the third, while painting the title at the top of the painting with a brush held in her raised right hand.

Installation view of the same a large room with a wide, white wall, light grey ceiling, and light grey, polished floor as in the previous image. We are standing to the right in front of the white wall, which takes up a little over half of the image, and at the left edge of the image we can see a corner and a sliver of a perpendicular wall largely out of frame. Above it, we can see the ceiling which appears to be made out of large, rectangular, and vertically oriented tiles within a structure of steel beams. To the left and in the middle of the ceiling, we can see two rectangular, vertically oriented skylights. Just below the ceiling, perpendicular to the wall, four white beams protrude. On them, we can see spotlights mounted, directed at the wall. On the wall hangs a series of seven paintings, tightly hung in equal intervals. The paintings are white except for around the bottom edges, where we can see the raw cotton canvas. Against the white background, the paintings all have black text in blocks aligned to the left margin, and a title at the top center. On the painting to the very left, we can see the silhouette of a woman with the back against us, painted in black and white. She is standing on a ladder, with her right leg on the first step and her left on the third, while painting the title at the top of the painting with a brush held in her raised right hand.

Installation view of a room with two white walls and light grey floor. The two walls meet in a corner slightly to the left of the center of the image, where a narrow doorway is located. In the doorway, we can see a staircase leading up. The lowest step sticks out into the room. The staircase appears to be made from casted concrete, painted in a deep, burgundy red, which has chipped. At the top of the doorway, we can see a white pipe coming out, which continues vertically up towards the ceiling. Above the doorway we can see some form of device, possibly measuring humidity. On the right wall hangs a large, almost square painting. It has almost the same hight as the doorway. On the raw cotton canvas, taking up most of the surface of the painting, the right page of a book has been painted in light beige. To the left of it, we can see a part of the left page. On the right page, we can read a table of contents. At the vertical edge of the right page, we can see the red vertical stripe, which looks like the book cover peeking out. Above the left page, we can see a horizontal stripe painted in the same red.

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Venezuela, 2019" written in all caps and the block of text reads: "Yeah, breakfast at Tiffany's and bottles of bubbles Girls with tattoos who like getting in trouble Lashed and diamonds, ATM machines Buy myself all of my favorite things (Yeah) Rather be tied up with calls and not strings Write my own checks like I write what I sing My wrist, stop watchin', my neck is flossy Make big deposits, my gloss is poppin' You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just bough I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it (Yeah I want it, I got it, I want it, I got it You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just bou I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it (Yep) Wearing a ring, but ain't gon' be no "Mr Bought matching diamonds for six of m I'd rather spoil all my friends with my ri Think retail therapy my new addiction Whoever said money can't solve your pro Must not have had enough money to sol They say, "which one?" I say, "Nah, I w Happiness is the same price as red-bott My smile is beamin' (Yeah), my skin is g The way it shine, I know you've seen it I bought a crib just for the closet (Closet Both his and hers, I want it, I got it, yea Yeah, my receipts be lookin' like phone If it ain't money, then wrong number Black card is my business card The way it be settin' the tone for me I don't mean to brag, but I be like, "Put in When you see them racks, they stacke up l Shoot, for from the store to the booth Make it all back in one loop, gimme th loot Never mind, I got the juice Nothing but net when we shoot Look at my neck, look at my jet Ain't got enough money to pay me res ect Ain't no budget when I'm on the set If I like it, then that's what I get, yea I want it, I got it, I want it, I got it (O yeah) I want it, I got it, I want it, I got it (O yeah, yeah) You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just b ught it I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it (I e, yep)" To the left of the text block, we can see the silhouette of a woman with the back against us, painted in black and white. She is standing on a ladder, with her right leg on the first step and her left on the third, while painting the title at the top of the painting with a brush held in her raised right hand. She is wearing white sneakers and a black track suit with a print of the head of what appears as Karl Marx printed on the back. She has light skin and is wearing her black hair in braids. Her left shoulder and hip are obscuring parts of the text.

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Chile, 1973" written in all caps and the block of text reads: "Out on the road for forty days Last night in Little Rock put me in a haze Sweet sweet Connie doin' her act She had the whole show and that's a natural fact Up all night with Freddie King I got to tell you, poker's his thing Booze and ladies keep me right As long as we can make it to the show tonight We're an American band We're an American band We're comin' to your town We'll help you party it down We're an American band For young chiquitas in Omaha Waitin' for the band to return from the show Feelin' good, feelin' right, it's a Saturday night The hotel detective, he was outta sight Now these fine ladies, they had a plan They was out to meet the boys in the band They said, "Come on dudes, let's get it on" And we proceeded to tear that hotel down We're an American band We're an American band We're comin' to your town We'll help you party it down We're an American band We're an American band, wooo We're an American band, wooo We're an American band, wooo"

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Cuba, 1961" in all caps and the block of text reads: "When we kiss my heart's on fire Burning with a strange desire And I know each time I kiss you That you hear' on fire too So my darling, please surrender All your love so warm and tender Let me hold you in my arms dear While the mood shines bright above All the stars will tell the story Of our love and all it's glory Let us take this night of magic And make it a night of love Won't you please surrender to me Your lips, your arms, your heart, dear Be mine forever Be mine tonight"

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Guatemala, 1954" in all caps and the block of text reads: "Blow me a kiss from across the room Say I look nice when I'm not Touch my hair as you pass my chair Little things mean a lot Give me your arm as we cross the street Call me at six on the dot A line a day when you're away Little things mean a lot Don't have to buy me diamonds and pearls Champagne, sables or such I never cared much for diamonds and pearls 'Cause honey, they just cost money Give me your hand when I've lost the way Give me your shoulder to cry on Whenever the the day is bright or gray Give me your heart to rely on Send me the warmth of a secret smile To show me you haven't forgot For always and ever, now and forever Little things mean a lot Give me your hand when I've lost the way Give me your shoulder to cry on Whenever the the day is bright or gray Give me your heart to rely on Send me the warmth of a secret smile To show me you haven't forgot That always and ever Now and forever Little things mean a lot"

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for an area at the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written in sans serif. The title reads "Iraq, 1991" written in all caps and the block of text reads: "I want to kiss you in Paris I want to hold your hand in Rome I want to run naked in a rainstorm Make love in a train cross-country You put this in me So now what, so now what? Wanting, needing, wanting For you to justify my love Hoping, praying For you to justify my love I want to know you Not like that I don't want to be your mother I don't want to be your sister either I just want to be your lover I want to be your baby Kiss me, that's right, kiss me Yearning, burning For you to justify my love What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? Talk to me - tell me your dreams Am I in them? Tell me your fears Are you scared? Tell me your stories I am not afraid of who you are We can fly! Poor is the man Whose pleasure depend On the permission of another Love me, that's right, love me I want to be your baby I'm open and ready For you to justify my love To justify my love Wanting, to justify Wanting, to justify my love Praying, to justify To justify my love"

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Iraq, 2003" in all caps and the block of text reads: "No, I'm not trying to be rude But hey, pretty girl, I'm feelin' you The way you do the things you do Reminds me of my Lexus coupe That's why I am all up in your grill Trying to get you to a hotel You must be a football coach The way you got me playin' the field So, baby, gimme that toot toot Lemme give you that beep beep Runnin' her hands through my 'fro Bouncin' on 24s While they say on the radio It's the remix to ignition Hot and fresh out the kitchen Mama rollin' that body Got every man in here wishin' Sippin' on coke and rum I'm like so what I'm drunk It's the freakin' weekend, baby I'm about to have me some fun Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce Bounce, bounce, bounce Now it's like "Murder She Wrote" Once I get you out them clothes Privacy is on the door Still they can hear you screaming more Girl, I'm feeling what you feeling No more hopin' and whishin' I'm about to take my key And stick it in the ignition So gimme that toot toot Lemme give you that beep beep ... Cristal poppin' in the stretch Navigator We got food everywhere As if the party was catered We got fellas to my left Hunnies on my right We bring 'em both together We got jukin' all night then after the show it's the after-party After the party it's the hotel lobby And around about 4 you gotta clear the lobby Then take it to your room and f * # % somebody ..."

Close view of one of the paintings in the previous installation views. The painting is white except for around the bottom edge, where we can see the raw cotton canvas faded in. Against the white background, we can see a block of black text aligned to the left margin, and a title in capital letters at the top in the center. The text appears hand written, neatly, in sans serif. The title reads "Nicaragua, 1982" in all caps and the block of text reads: "Sayin' "I love you" Just sayin' "I love you" Yesterday's songs Don't stay around long Not much anymore (yesterday's songs are gone) Yesterday's words Don't make themselves heard Like they did before (yesterday's words are gone) Baby, yesterday's blues May be yesterday's news But the truth always stays the same And the good things never change Like sayin' "I love you" Just sayin' "I love you" Yesterday's songs Don't seem to belong They're here and they're gone (yesterday's songs are gone) Yesterday's moves Don't stay in the grooves They keep moving on (yesterday's grooves are gone) Maybe yesterday's rhyme Was for yesterday's time And the future's not ours to see But there are some things that will always be Like sayin' "I love you" Just sayin' "I love you" Baby, yesterday's blues May be yesterday's news But the truth always stays the same And the good things never change Like sayin' "I love you" Sayin' "I love you" Like sayin' "I love you"

Close view of the painting in one of the previous installation views. We can see a large rectangular painting in portrait format hanging on a white wall. At the bottom of the image, we can see the gray floor. Taking up most of the surface of the painting, the right page of a book has been painted in light beige on the raw raw canvas. To the left of it, we can see a part of the left page. On the right page, we can read "Contents" in the center at the top, and below "Chapter" to the left and "Page" to the right in all caps followed by a table of contents also in caps: "I. War is a Racket - - - - - - I" "II. Who Makes The Profits? - - II" "III. Who Pays The Bills? - - - - - - 26" "IV. How To Smash This Racket! - - 37" "V. To Hell With War! - - - - - 46" At the vertical edge of the right page, we can see the red vertical stripe, which looks like the book cover peeking out. Above the left page, we can see a horizontal stripe painted in the same red.

Frances StarkUS Greatest Hits Mixtape: Volume 2greengrassi, London

Exhibition Images

Frances StarkUS Greatest Hits Mixtape: Volume 2
greengrassi, London