EXPO CHICAGO: Stacey Gillian Abe

13 Apr-16 Apr 2023

Overview

Unit London is excited to present a solo exhibition booth at EXPO Chicago (Booth 444) with Stacey Gillian Abe. The artist’s latest body of work, entitled Contour, progresses organically from her last solo show with Unit London, Shrub-let of Old Ayivu.

 Contour is an exploration of the body in stillness, focusing specifically on the Black feminine body. The series of works pictures female figures in intimate spaces of comfort, rest and privacy. In each painting, the viewer seems to stumble on a moment of peace and solitude. Yet, these figures invite us to observe them, allowing us to study the curves and undulations of their bodies. These contours give way to broader interpretations, alluding to emotional states and memory through subtle visual communication.

Contour foregrounds the connection between the body in stillness and the communication of emotion, concentrating on the effects of non-verbal communication. The exhibition demonstrates that emotion does not need to be conveyed boldly; powerful sentiments such as happiness, longing, sorrow or loathing can be expressed discreetly. For Abe, emotions are communicated most authentically through the body and, in turn, through embodiment. As such, these artworks explore how sentiment materialises in stillness and rest, understanding how our inner landscape is revealed during these moments of peace. Often it is these quiet moments that allow space for feeling and self-reflection.

In this sense, these artworks act as gateways to memory, particularly to notions of sensory memory. These ideas are found in Abe’s use of colour and through a universally nostalgic relationship to colour. Aside from being visually bold, these colours are able to denote aspects of sensory experience: taste, sound, touch and smell. For example, in Marmalade 1, soft hues of peach, yellow and tan connect to the artist’s memories of marmalade jam, something she frequently ate for breakfast as a child. The warm colours also recall marigolds, Abe’s mother’s favourite flower. Memories of the flower do not only connect to the colour yellow, but also to the scents of citrus and the feeling of smooth petals. As such, these hues call to mind the subtle effects of such small details on our long-term memories.

Alongside these more personal connections, Abe leaves space for multivalent interpretation, allowing the viewer to form their own associations to each work. With every painting, Abe hopes that the viewer is able to tap into their own multi-sensory experience, triggering unique interactions, physical sensations, memories and emotional responses.

Artists