I Understand If You’re Busy
// March 11- April 2
Sarah Callesen /
Olyvia Hong /
Anh Tran /
Taylor Wagstaff /
Ellie Lee-Duncan /
Holly Paynter /
Rachel Ashby /
Kari Schmidt /
Loulou Callister-Baker /
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological phenomenon familiar to most all of us in this contemporary time. ‘I Understand If You’re Busy’ aims to examine its nature in an effort to contextualise, understand and perhaps exorcise or ameliorate it, through utilising strategies of investigation, transformation and escape. Accordingly, the exhibition attempts to play with and/or make useful an otherwise uncomfortable sensation, by which we are increasingly beset.
As a title, ‘I Understand if You’re Busy’ nods to anxiety as it manifests itself in micro-moments, particularly within the context of texts, Facebook messages and emails: ‘I understand if you’re busy’; ‘I’m sorry to be a pain…’; ‘It’s all good if not’; ‘I just wanted to check whether…’; ‘No worries if not…’; ‘Yeah, nah…’; ‘Can I ask a question?’ etc.
The exhibition will examine the concept and experience of anxiety through art, writing and a series of events including a poetry reading, panel discussion and story-telling event. It will feature an accompanying publication to be released at a closing event, as well as the zine ANXIETY which will be launched at an associated event. The exhibition will also show at the newly established [tacit] gallery in Hamilton, from the 12th – 29th of April.
