THE PAST WILL FAIL YOU

The Past Will Fail You is the US debut of multi-media artist Edward Mills. Born and raised in the United States, Mills has lived in Paris, France for the last two decades. Since 2019, he has exhibited in Paris and elsewhere in France. Working between drawing, painting, and sculpture, his organic style combines a form of surrealist automatism with physically demanding, machine-like outputs.

The exhibition and residency explore the destruction of the self as a necessary part of growth and self-actualization. The public is invited to view the artist at work as he explores space beyond what is familiar for him. This process, on view during the exhibition and residency, involves the artist’s preparation for and real-time dialogue with an interactive sculpture entitled “The Cube” – a conceptual device representing whoever interacts with it. Using the experience of interplay with The Cube throughout the exhibition, the artist collects and codifies discoveries into an original artwork created entirely during the residency. During his residency, from August 9 to 20, there will be opportunities to build with Edward and smash The Cube or create giant towers of black or white and dazzling rainbow cityscapes, all with 1000 handmade wooden blocks. Your imagination is your only limitation! Click here to book a time slot with him.

Edward is looking for people who want to learn more about The Cube as a device of self-discovery. This will be an opportunity to see how The Cube represents the human condition at any point in time. The Cube is complemented by custom hammers and ropes, created by Edward and chosen by each participant to perform the act of destruction of self – to reenact the moment to reclaim power. Each participant will choose their interpretation of what it means to destroy The Cube – to make an impression on the sculpture in an exchange of energy. Write to Edward to learn more about the opportunity below.

If you’d like to attend the opening event at 6:30pm on August 8 (limited to 40 people), please RSVP here. During the exhibition, Edward will tell the story of The Cube as he destroys it for the first time. Some of his black-and-white, large-format works will also be on display.

The final, completed artwork will be publicly exhibited at the conclusion of the residency on August 20, along with The Cube through which it was conceived.