Discover Anthea Hamilton's "The New Life": An Immersive Exhibition of Sculptural Art at Secession

Anthea Hamilton's exhibition 'The New Life' at Secession showcases her interdisciplinary approach to performance through sculptural assemblages and installations. The exhibition features an immersive environment with a custom tartan pattern and objects exploring themes of transformation, nature, and fashion.

Anthea Hamilton's exhibition 'The New Life' at the Secession presents her unique, interdisciplinary practice, which blends performance with sculptural assemblages and installations she terms 'performative spaces.' These works, reminiscent of stage sets or film backdrops, function as props for untold narratives, poised between creation and collapse. Hamilton's approach is rooted in deep research, drawing from diverse cultural currents such as 1970s disco, Art Nouveau, Radical Design, and Japanese Kabuki theater, alongside an interest in the properties of spaces and carefully crafted objects. For her first solo exhibition in Austria, Hamilton developed a site-specific installation for the main room of the Secession, enveloping it entirely in her signature Hamilton tartan. The tartan pattern, echoing the exhibition space's square grid and glass ceiling, significantly influences the perception of the environment. Within this setting, Hamilton displays several sculptures, including glossy black mannequins ('Vienna Chefs,' 2012/2018) that clearly reference her interest in fashion. The works also delve into themes of transformation and nature, exemplified by oversized butterfly objects ('Peacock,' 'Monarch,' and 'Cloak Moth,' all 2018) dispersed within the tartan matrix, a kimono printed with a natural motif, and the use of organic materials and vegetables. Hamilton frequently cites French author Antonin Artaud's concept of a 'physical understanding of images,' aiming to evoke this embodied experience in viewers encountering her artworks, which utilize unexpected materials, surprising scale, and subtle humor. Hamilton also conceived an artist's book for the Secession, featuring collages of personal photographs, found imagery, and computer drawings.

Information and tickets for exhibitions can be found at the provided ticketing link. Daily opening hours are listed as Tuesday-Sunday, 10 AM - 6 PM, with the current exhibition open today. Further details are available via the provided links and contact information.