Curatorial Note

The human skin is our portal to the world outside and our sheath of protection against it. Skin is not an innocent category rather it is coded with years of colonial history and entrenched within the beauty myth. Empires and industries have been built on the pyramid of skin culture that begins with white skin at the top and ends with dark skin at the bottom of the pyramid. In a post-colonial context, dark skinned people have been othered and oppressed by fair-skinned rulers, for centuries. The show brings into focus these issues and the vulnerability of human skin, through the works of these artists who address the fragile yet resilient nature of human sensibilities along with other sentient beings. Skin is an external layer to every being, whether it is the bark of a tree, the exoskeleton of an insect, the skin upon a fruit or vegetable.

In essence it speaks of universal oneness. In some instances the palimpsest of skin is so heavily worked that the letters feel like Braille, in others it is barely present, almost ethereal.

The exhibition features the artworks of nine artists that reference several aspects of skin, from the personal, erotic and playful to its larger socio-political connotations. It examines the deep-rooted practice of skin differentiation and addresses the fragile yet resilient nature of human sensibilities and other sentient beings. Most of the works have been created especially for this exhibition in a variety of media, from sculpture, painting and photography to installation and ceramic work.

Georgina Maddox

Threshold Art Gallery