Sea Through Skin: Bianca Baldi Solo Exhibition at Kunsthal Extra City

In 'Sea Through Skin', artist Bianca Baldi investigates the complex phenomenon of racial 'passing' through the lens of South African history and colonial hierarchies. Utilizing diverse mediums such as film, textiles, and glass, the exhibition explores identity as a fluid, shifting construct informed by perception and survival.

Through an exploration of the practice of 'playing white'—a term rooted in the South African experience of navigating colonial racial hierarchies—Bianca Baldi’s exhibition examines how identity is constructed through visibility and power. The sea serves as a central metaphor throughout the exhibition, representing fluidity, trauma, and resistance, while simultaneously referencing the segregated beaches of Apartheid-era South Africa. At the heart of the installation, Baldi employs the cuttlefish as a symbol of identity. The creature's ability to adapt its appearance through color and texture serves as a powerful lens for questioning the visual codes society uses to define individuals. By blending personal history with broader cultural and historical inquiries, the artist presents a multi-sensory experience that challenges viewers to reflect on the shifting nature of how we perceive and label one another.

The exhibition 'Sea Through Skin' can be visited in the chapel of Kunsthal Extra City. Visitors are advised that access to the chapel during the preparation of other exhibitions is via the alley next to Ploegstraat 25, and entry to this specific exhibition is free.