For his exhibition at Open Forum, Elijah Burgher has executed a series of monumental paintings directly on the walls of the gallery. Burgher used Open Forum as a studio for the duration of his allotted time at the gallery, framing the execution of the murals as a ritual dedicated to the invocation of the Venereal Machine and the Poor Little Ghost Boy, the artist’s monikers for the archetypal pair of the Beloved and their Lover. Invented on site without preparatory drawings, the paintings extend across three walls of the space as a cyclical frieze. Although the story is literally encrypted as abstract symbols, the repetition and rhythm of forms and colors through the space conjures a sense of narrative movement as well as hidden meaning on the brink of epiphany. The Lover’s Labyrinth continues Burgher’s ongoing exploration of sexuality, ritual and subculture. The exhibition will be on view for the public for a single evening and get erased with a fresh coat of white paint the following day.

Elijah Burgher (b. 1978) lives and works in Berlin. The Lover’s Labyrinth opens and closes Saturday, November 2, 4–7pm. For inquiries, please contact Hannes or Nick at hannes@openforum.info or nick@openforum.info