Kim Kim Gallery’s Douglasism Festival is an attempt to appraise and celebrate the eccentricity and uniqueness evident in Douglas Park’s works that are often made in cooperation with other artists, as well as Douglas Park’s other involvement in his fellow artist’s work. The event promises deep insight into the working methods, perspectives and traits of Douglas Park’s input and work.

So just who is Douglas Park? Well, as he says about himself: “born in 1972, UK based, internationally active and exposed visual artist, writer (of literary prose and critical essays, both mostly art connected), exhibition curator, as well as all practices and roles combined.” To date, Douglas Park´s complete resumé fills 38 A4 pages.

And as for Douglasism itself? The term Douglasism is derived from Douglasisms; the title of a 2005 event, organized by the London based collective, Decima, taking place on Douglas Park’s 33rd birthday, held at London’s Gallery Upstairs. Kim Kim Gallery adopted this title, considering Douglasism to be a many-layered perspective on the creativity of Douglas Park. The word Douglasism alludes to the names of art, cultural, political and social movements.

Douglas Park is a polyvalent artist, actor, performer, narrator, author and curator. His oeuvre is both varied and complex, while also being highly elusive and very much dispersed. Through his mannerisms, presence and contribution, Douglas Park is an exponent and specimen of art-catalysis. For many years now, Kim Kim Gallery has closely followed and supported Douglas Park’s activities.

Douglasism is a poem consisting of letters, prose and spoken language as well as voice. Douglasism can be contained all kinds of bowls and heavy air which can move to everywhere. 
This exhibition is an investigation into a contagion through Douglas Park under the name of a collaboration with co-artists in Western Europe since late 1990s, and a trace of the artist's evasion, escape, disguise and improvement. 

Participants: Douglas Park (UK), Monika K. Adler (PO), Gavin Broad (UK),
Matthew Burbidge (UK), Marc Vaulbert de Chantilly (UK), Alex Chappel (UK),
Jean-Philippe Convert (BE), Cel Crabeels (BE), Michael Croft (UK), Richard Crow (UK),
Clemens Krümmel (D), Kris Delacourt (BE), Clementine Deliss (UK), Anaid Demir (FR),
Rik Desaver (BE), Nico Dockx (BE), Jonathan Lahey Dronsfield (UK), David Evrard (BE),
Dirk Fleischmann (DE), Claire Fontaine (FR), Maria Teresa Gavazzi (I),
Anthony Gross (UK), Ann Veronica Janssens (BE), Oan Kim (FR), Oksun Kim (KR),
Kosten Koper (UK), Rut Blees Luxemburg (DE), Olive Martin (BE), Jan Mast (BE),
Christina Mitrentse (UK), Michelle Naismith (UK), Sebastian & Thierry Paulico (FR),
Anne Pigalle (FR), Owen Piper (UK), Rckay Rax (UK), Aeon Rose (UK), Kurt Ryslavy (A),
Ilona Sager (UK), Paul Sakoilsky (UK), Gideon Cube Sherman (UK), Simon Tyszko (UK),
Rob Voerman (NL), Mark Aerial Waller (UK), Piers Wardle (UK), Keef Winter (UK) and more.

*image (left)
Au revoir Moodle Pozart, 2003
DVD, color, sound
© Michelle Naismith 

Courtesy of Kim Kim Gallery