It’s All Relative
‘All is relative’ is a famous quote by Albert Einstein describing his general theory of relativity. It means that nothing is absolute and that all is valued or rated in relation to other things. As humans, we develop fears, joys, and curiosities that carry a specific significance or meaning to us, but they might not mean the same thing or anything at all to other people. It all depends on circumstances and points of view. It’s all relative is a group show of five early-career to mid-career women artists whose works explore the vast array of emotions and connections that are absolute to the life of each artist.
The German/Russian artist Anna Nero focuses on the relationships that people develop with objects. Her focus transcends into the topic of fetishism and the absurdity of connections and fixations we adopt to particular objects. Through abstract depictions and various brush strokes, Anna conveys the strange and mystery between humans and things.
Kristy Chan, a London-based artist, was born and raised in Hong Kong. Her upbringing, changes of homes and cultures inspired her to create work reflecting migration and displacement. Kristy’s hand responds differently to different environments, including weather, culture, or even studio space, thus always creating a new take. She describes her abstract hologram-like paintings as ‘stolen realities.
Amy Beager is a British artist who reinvents figurative painting through bold colours and juxtapositions. For her, the fundamental motive is the tension between ecstasy and anguish. Reminiscing on the Renaissance and mythological characters, Amy’s work explores the emotional intensity of love, intimacy, and distress.
Jess Burgess, on the other hand, shifts her focus to contemporary culture. Her collage-like images scattered on canvas display images of women figures, their clothes, accessories, and other details. They are snapshots of our social media-driven society where beauty culture dominates. Jess balances between visual stimulation and cultural mediation.
Similarly, like Jess, the American artist Isabelle McCormick is interested in what it means to live in today’s world of modern technology. Through her practice, Isabelle questions women and their position in the society of beautifying apps, social media, and reality TV. Are women under the scrutiny of the male gaze? Or are we living in the era of the highest freedom of exposure? …… It is all relative.
