Simon Zoric is included in ‘Joke Taxonomy’ at 138 Gallery, curated by Jincheng Deng.

‘Joke Taxonomy’ operates as a question, inviting artists and audiences to unravel what crucial elements give form to a joke through a specially curated collection of multimedia installations. The project delves into the intriguing contradictions that often surround joke/humour. In the conventional sense, a joke aims to amuse, to elicit laughter or lighten the mood. However, what occurs when a piece of art unintentionally evokes laughter, as in the case of Jens Haaning’s “Take the Money and Run”? Is it then categorised as a joke due to its effect rather than its intended form? Similarly, in the film “Catch Me If You Can,” Tom Hanks’ character delivers a knock-knock joke that, despite lacking humour, still maintains the form of a traditional joke. Is it still a joke if it has the form but not the intended effect? These intriguing questions are at the core of the exhibition, asking both artists and audiences to reflect on what truly constitutes the form of a joke.

The exhibition includes works by Simon Zoric, Lou Hubbard, Stuart Ringholt, Yusi Zhang, James Brett and Chunxiao Qu.

Image:
Simon Zoric
Untitled (Blue), 2022
Cast Aluminium, Automotive Paint, Quartz, Apatite
41 x 31 x 24cm