“The object no longer is there in order to express any concept whatsoever, but so that the spectator can reach, more deeply, his own self.” This statement comes from Brazilian multidisciplinary artist Lygia Clark (1920-1988), a pioneering figure whose work anticipated the development of participatory art. She created “relational objects” that were interactive and later became part of her therapeutic practice. Years later, Clark has become a source of inspiration for generations of contemporary artists. One of them is interdisciplinary artist and academic Sonia Boyce DBE RA (b. 1962), whose latest exhibition at Whitechapel gallery is influenced by Lygia Clark. An Awkward Relation is an exhibition that actually sits in dialogue with a show dedicated to Clark, titled The I and the You. Boyce’s display brings together seminal and rare projects to explore themes of interaction, participation and improvisation.
Audience involvement has played a key role in Boyce’s practice since the 1990s. As such, An Awkward Relation reflects a shared interest in many of the radical approaches that Clark pioneered in her own work. The title of the exhibition is indicative of this complex, often difficult, relationship between artists, works and audiences. Visitors are called to engage with the artwork and their surroundings in new and unscripted ways and the name of the show addresses the feeling of unease that might come with this high level of interaction. This is evident in the first section, which showcases Boyce’s interest in hair as a material and cultural signifier. On display are over 20 pieces made with real and synthetic hair, originally included in the Do you want to touch? exhibition at 181 Gallery, London, in 1993. Attendees are invited to heed the question and touch the artwork intuitively. It’s a theme Boyce also explores in 50 collages from Black Female Hairstyles (1995) and the video work Exquisite Tension (2005). The former includes cropped images of braids, cornrows and relaxed styles. The piece brings to mind the work of J. D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere (1930-2014), who photographed unique hairstyles from women across Nigeria. Sonia addresses how people often unwelcomely touch Black people’s hair by playfully restaging such encounters in a gallery context.
Parallels between Boyce and Clark’s work is also central to An Awkward Relation. Pieces are presented in a dialogue across time and geographies, inviting audiences to find similarities and differences between them. It’s a chance to think about the distinct artistic, geographical and socio-political contexts in which the artists were working, as well as the specific intentions behind what they were doing. The last section features the multimedia installation We move in her way (2017). This seven-channel audiovisual work was developed out of the documentation of Boyce’s performance of the same name that took place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London in 2016. Inspired partly by Clark’s work from the late 1960s–70s, it also references the Dadaist Sophie Taeuber-Arp. The original performance of We move in her way unfolds organically, with performers asked to improvise and interact with the attending audience.
Like immersive installations, participatory art invites the audience into the artwork. Boyce takes on Clark’s notion of calling the audience to “reach” into themselves by making a tangible connection with the project. An Awkward Relation calls for active rather than passive engagement. This means visitors might build lasting relationships with the project that will stay with them after they leave the gallery space. It’s a significant setting for Boyce, who has become familiar with the venue after frequent collaborations with Whitechapel Gallery, such as her groundbreaking solo show in 1988. By bringing artist, audience and objects closer, Boyce asks: what happens after we’ve pushed past the awkwardness?
Whitechapel Gallery, Sonia Boyce: An Awkward Relation | Until 12 January
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
- Sonia Boyce, Exquisite Tension, 2006, Single- channel HD colour video with sound and archive colour photographic print Video duration: 4 minutes. © Sonia Boyce. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024. Courtesy of the artist, APALAZZOGALLERY and Hauser & Wirth Gallery.
- Sonia Boyce We move in her way (production still), 2016 Seven synchronised videos with sound and wallpaper installation Dimensions variable Duration: 18 minutes Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 2017 Photo: George Torode Courtesy of the artist, APALAZZOGALLERY and Hauser & Wirth Gallery. © Sonia Boyce. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024.
- Sonia Boyce Black Female Hairstyles, 1995 Fifty colour collages on paper 25 portrait Dimensions: 156.5cm x 113cm portrait. © Sonia Boyce. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024. Courtesy of Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
- Sonia Boyce Head II (Dread) 1995 Photographic print on dibond 137.5 cm by 91.5 cm Courtesy of the artist, APALAZZOGALLERY and Hauser & Wirth Gallery. © Sonia Boyce. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024.
- Sonia Boyce, Exquisite Tension, 2006, Single- channel HD colour video with sound and archive colour photographic print Video duration: 4 minutes. © Sonia Boyce. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2024. Courtesy of the artist, APALAZZOGALLERY and Hauser & Wirth Gallery.
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