REVIEW: "Anatomy of Anxieties" @ Edouard Malingue Gallery, Hong Kong
Given the name of the exhibition, walking into “Anatomy of Anxieties” may fill one with premonitions of all kinds. From dismembered limbs to deformed bodies, displayed within are works of sheer fright and eeriness. And yet, instead of hurling itself onto spectators like a booby-trapped box, the exhibition invites the viewers in. “Anatomy of Anxieties,” a group show curated by London-based art organization Rowing Projects, is a collection of artworks that engage with viewers—in a metaphysical, visual, narrative and even haptic fashion—on issues of body and anxiety.
Upon entering, we are greeted by beautiful snapshots of outer space. Andy Holden’s visions of the universe, such as the powerful swirls of stars in Eyes In Space (2012) and the awe-inspiring horizon shown in Untitled (2012), not only invite but also confront the viewers. As our gaze meets the numerous plastic eyes that are pasted onto the prints’ surfaces, we are encouraged to imagine taking over their place within Holden’s galaxies. His anthropomorphic works attempt to destabilize the distinction between the viewer and the viewed, as well as earthly and celestial bodies.
