At The Perimeter in London, artist Camille Henrot presents “Don’t,” a collection that shifts from her previous grand, universal inquiries to a more personal, introspective focus. Gone are the vast explorations of humanity’s origins or the universe’s creation. Instead, Henrot, a Silver Lion winner at the Venice Biennale, has opted for a minimalist approach, turning her gaze inward.
The exhibition features surreal and symbolic imagery, including testicles with faces and a fox engaging in an act of oral sex. These elements, charged with meaning, serve as a conduit to explore the anxieties of the digital age, interwoven with the complexities of family life and explicit erotica. Henrot masterfully distills her characteristic hyper-complex, ambitious style into a more pared-back, intimate experience, inviting a deep personal reflection.
English Translation:
At The Perimeter in London, French artist Camille Henrot’s latest exhibition, “Don’t,” marks a significant departure from her previous grand, cosmic inquiries. Once preoccupied with profound questions about human origins and the universe’s creation, Henrot now delves into the introspective, the quiet, and the mundane. In this intimate private museum setting, the artist, a former Silver Lion recipient at the Venice Biennale, has stripped away the hyper-complex, ultra-ambitious chaos often found in her installations and films.
Instead, she has embraced a minimalist aesthetic, undertaking a deep and critical self-examination. The works on display are imbued with a surreal and symbolic intensity, featuring striking imagery such as testicles adorned with faces and a fox depicted in an act of licking a phallus. These powerful visuals serve as a nexus, exploring the pervasive anxiety of the digital age, seamlessly blended with the intricacies of family life and bold eroticism. Henrot’s shift towards a more focused, personal narrative, executed with striking visual metaphors, offers a potent and thought-provoking experience for the viewer.