“I can waste five years of your time in one year” is an attempt to imagine what a declaration
of love from the future might look like if it appeared in our reality today, and had to be
perceived through the limits of modern language and metaphysics.
The exhibition, featuring acrylic and oil works, by painter Kenan Abbas, approaches the
object via a heavy use of decontextualisation, seeking to point our attention to the tactile
reality of a world where the objectification of the other is no longer possible, because its a
place where objects no longer exist.
Born out of a six month period of studying phenomenology with anthropologist Yanik Lechev
and inspired by the linguistic innovations introduced in renowned multi-platinum
recordingartist Young Thug’s “Slime Language” mixtape series, “i can waste five years of
your time in one year” builds on the works of Martin Heidegger and Maurice Marleau-Ponty
by using a phenomenological framework for the making and understanding of art.
Artist: Kenan Abbas
Curator: Yanik Lechev
Kenan Abbas is an international visual artist, currently based in Venice, Italy. Originally
picking up painting as a passion, his early exposure to the art world through family and
friends, allowed him to engage with and receive mentorship from acclaimed artists outside of
the confines of an institutional context. This informal approach allowed him to develop and
hone in on a practical understanding of working with light, perspective and anatomy, while
also maintaining a distance from the established traditions and assumptions that are often
built into traditional art education. While growing up and refining his craft, he took part in a
number of art residencies and three of his works have been donated to UNESCO as part of
an initiative towards world peace.
Born in the United States and growing up in between Azerbaijan, France and the States,
with heavy exposure to Asia. His movement in between different cultures gave Abbas an
understanding of how much the individual is shaped by their environment, while at the same
time, not confined by it. This insight became central to his artistic practice and philosophy.
Making heavy use of decontextualization, his paintings tackle themes of meaning, existence,
identity and the fluidity of perception.
In January 2024, Abbas moved to Venice, Italy to begin working for Berengo Studio, a
Murano-based glass company, focused on innovating the art of glassmaking through
collaborations with contemporary artists and modern production techniques. There he
produced glass works for artists such as Tony Cragg, Ai Wei Wei, Thomas Shütte, as well as
works that were featured in various pavilions at the Venice Biennale, allowing him to further
observe and study the process and technique behind the production of pieces, that have
become iconic staples of the contemporary art world.
While living in Venice, Abbas also became involved with the city’s innovative artistic
underground, inspiring him to always keep experimenting with new ways, methods, materials
and techniques for communicating his artistic vision.
