Visitors stare down at phones of clay whilst others put their heads through a hairy hole before the Cave of Desire.
This is an exhibition by Poppy Gilfillan, graduating from DJCAD’s Fine Art course. Under the theme ‘fear of intimacy,’ Gilfillan delved into the paradox of human connection with today’s technology:
‘Phones create an intimacy, but it’s like an illusion of intimacy, and we’ve lost touch and the remembrance that we’re actually monkeys, monkeys that are running around, so I wanted to create a space that’s very tactile.’
Having examined works of various mediums in their dissertation focusing on contemporary art around gynaecology, the artist tells The Jute Journal they like to work with all possible mediums.
This project began with collages. The first one is called ‘the vagina cave,’ the artist says, full of ‘vagina-like creatures’ that seem ‘scary in a strange space.’
‘I started to think about the abjection of intimacy and sex and all the things you can’t get through visuals on a screen, like smell and textures and sweat and things that we may see as unpleasant but are part of the whole experience.’
In front of the collages, visitors get to pick up fake smartphones made of clay, each inscribed with a poem. Lifting them up from their table of fur brings us closer to answering the artist’s questions, ‘why are our lives not amazing? Why do we still feel lonely and deprived of touch and connection?’
Each poem, specifically, is ‘about overcoming fear of intimacy and to get the thing we’re actually craving from being on the screens and needing lots of constant stimulation.’
Gilfillan adds that clay was used as it resembles rock, reflecting the idea that ‘this thing isn’t real,’ as high screentimes often mean ‘you’re still alone in your room’ and ‘those aren’t the experiences you remember.’ The artist notes that one clay phone was broken just before the Degree Show opened ‘but that’s okay,’ brushing it off with a laugh.
At the adjacent wall, we are encouraged to explore our own Cave of Desire, featuring a tapestry and sculptures. This includes a striking fleshy pink cut-out through which visitors are encouraged to put their heads, so that we don’t ‘lose touch with touch.’
In the face of social isolation with social media and AI, such art on human connection is all the more valuable. The artist concludes the interview with a suggestion:
‘I’d like to encourage play more. Being vulnerable doesn’t always have to be a scary thing. You can just be playing and figuring things out.’
Perhaps shared fears can be overcome if more humans come together.
You can check out Poppy Gilfillan’s work @bugqueen222 on Instagram
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