White Cube is pleased to announce an online presentation of works by Lydia Pettit, her first solo exhibition with the gallery. Building on the artist’s previous paintings that explored Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, this new series is centred on the alienation we experience within our bodies. Works in oil, embroidery and quilting portray the body with various objects such as keyholes, doors and household items. These domestic motifs serve to symbolise a haunted house, filled with spectres of the past.
In her compositions, Pettit toys with different levels of exposure to invite the viewer on the path where the artist's self image intersects with, as she puts it, ‘the memories and ugly feelings that leak out and interrupt us'. Framed with large swathes of black, Pettit’s depictions conjure a void, enveloping and invading the figure.
As well as tracing personal experiences of doubt and rumination, recovery and growth, these works also speak to broader issues surrounding body politics and mental health. As the artist states: ‘I use my paintings and quilts to accept this part of me, make peace with it and move forward, and leave these fleeting thoughts on canvas and fabric.’
White Cube 'Introductions' are a series of dynamic online presentations featuring a diverse range of artists new to White Cube’s programme.
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