Equal Affections

The body can be a metaphor for many things. It can be an instrument for experiencing the world, or a vessel for meaning and message. Direct references to the self through memoir and autobiography are central themes in current painting. Equal Affections brings together fourteen artists who explore how the self emerges in relation to community and society at large. An inquiry into gender and its representation foregrounds these rich depictions of people and their interior worlds.

Together, these artworks commemorate the look and feel of contemporary life – while some venture into fantasy, others are firmly grounded in physicality. Many can be read as demonstrations of personal identity and this highlights a shift in the way identity is made visible in art, and more broadly in contemporary culture. Similarly, technology as a filter for experiencing others and its influence on the way we present ourselves, are recurrent themes. In each gesture, pose and painted mannerism these artists present a strong argument for the power of integrating the surface and interior of our lives, as an approach to telling one’s own personal history.

The team at GRIMM wishes to thank all participating artists and their representing galleries for their wonderful contributions and support to this project.