Sarah Ball in 'I See You' at Victoria Miro
Anima Mundi are delighted to announce Sarah Ball’s inclusion in ‘I See You’ at Victoria Miro which opens on 2nd June 2020. Ball joins international heavyweight female painters Njideka Akunyili Crosby, María Berrío, Celia Hempton, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami, Chantal Joffe, Maria Lassnig, Jessie Makinson, Alice Neel, Celia Paul and Lisa Yuskavage. The exhibition brings together historical and contemporary works by female artists with a focus on depictions of male subjects.
From portraits of family members to paintings of invented characters and those that challenge a traditional understanding of the ‘male gaze’, works on view invite us to consider the characteristics and qualities that connect or divide us along shifting lines of gender and how differences might be bridged by a shared understanding of consciousness – what it means to see and be seen. Complexities of gender are further elaborated upon by the artist’s role not only as painter but, in some instances, as mother or partner, where to be seen is also to be loved, nurtured, admired, or desired.
Sarah Ball’s ‘Timothy’, 2020, is drawn from a recent series featuring people the artist discovered on Instagram. Seeing the social media platform as a successor of the photographic studio – where people would pose in their best clothes for formal portraits – and the photobooth – where many a nascent self-image was formed and performed – in this body of work, Ball looks at the effect that the visual manifestation of the ‘self’ has upon traditional, binary norms in areas including gender and sexuality. While they have never met, Ball was immediately drawn to the narrative of Timothy’s posts and their strong visual identity, which project a strength and individuality as well as revealing vulnerability. She uses them with his permission to create works that speak to the ways in which we create and curate versions of ourselves in the real world and online, a series of projections further enriched through the process of painting
‘I See You’ is available exclusively online in Victoria Miro’s new virtual gallery on Vortic – a new extended reality (XR) platform for the artworld – using the latest high-resolution 3D scanning technology. Vortic’s groundbreaking software and rendering techniques, which have never before been used in the industry, enable Victoria Miro to present exhibitions of 2D and 3D works in the very highest quality. The platform provides a sustainable and engaging way of reaching audiences across the world by offering virtual gallery spaces, supported by two integrated virtual and augmented reality apps.
For further information on Sarah Ball click here