Personal identity is inseparable from the space in which it exists. Other people’s perceptions of us influence the way we navigate the spaces we live in, constantly recontextualizing our experience through multiple lenses at a time. The questions of spatiality, who is allowed to inhibit which spaces, and what rules one is expected to follow while in a specific space are especially poignant for queer people. A Trans Arrangement of The Painted Space, a new solo art show by the British artist Erin Holly, reimagines regular places like lounges, hallways, studies, and bathrooms in terms of their inclusivity and accessibility. The exhibition will open at the London-based JD Malat Gallery in November.
New Exhibition by the British Artist Erin Holly at JD Malat Gallery
Erin Holly is an emerging British artist, whose work explores the relationship between architecture and personal identity, as well as the conflicts that arise from that interaction. Her body of work includes works in various mediums, from large-scale murals to watercolor and oil canvases.
Holly’s upcoming exhibition, A Trans Arrangement of The Painted Space, is a series of works depicting spaces one would usually find in their home. While paintings of bathrooms and lounges were inspired by real interior design advertisements from the 1950s, they look far from the perfectly scored unrealistic picture from a catalog or a magazine. Erin Holly actively challenges the constraints of spaces we encounter daily by introducing unusual perspectives and erasing borders between reality and fiction. The British artist paints the walls in her semi-imagined rooms in broad, brave, and seemingly careless strokes while keeping spaces recognizable and familiar.
Erin Holly’s art shifts the popular public discourse from transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals to a more intimate level. A home is a place where people usually feel the safest to be themselves and are free to arrange a space in a way that accommodates their needs and desires the most. In her work, spatiality embodies the struggle of LGBTQIA+ people to find a safe space that does not require them to fit in and conform to strict binary categories.
A Trans Arrangement of The Painted Space is a great exhibition to visit during Trans Awareness Week. As Erin Holly lays out the blueprint for the radical restructuring of space through artistic practice, you can help by supporting people in your life who need it the most. JD Malat Gallery invites you to view the show at 30 Davies Street, London, from November 16 through December 9, 2023.