What is the meaning of life?
For the press release of their new season, the Sainsbury Centre was full of an array of people. Many of the artists themselves attended, so we could hear the inspirations behind the art. This season is named ‘What is the meaning of life?’ The main focus of the day was on ‘Joy like Time’, an exhibition showcasing the work of three artists. Kalliopi Lemos, Marina Abramovic and Gillian wearing considered how time shapes meaning in human life, and how personal everyone’s perception of life is. The Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Jago Cooper, said: Joy like time invites us to consider how art can provide a time portal through which to compare different aspects of our lives because artworks themselves exist in a different time.”
The first piece was a colourful tree woven from hand-dyed sisal rope. ‘Tree of Life’ was presented to us by its artist, Seyi Adelekun. She explained how she spent four months in Uganda and learnt about the deep beauty of trees. In the Ugandan culture, trees are a connection between the physical realm and the spiritual. They regrew trees after the Civil War, showing ‘the resilience of the land,’ and they’re also used to provide medicine for the community. The tree is a symbol of the interconnectedness of all life. The purple, yellow, orange and green rope representing individuality yet woven together to form life. Adelekun shared that the piece was made by 6 women and said, “before gossip meant evil, it meant sisterhood’, showing the importance of women’s unity in life. Underneath the tree, there are cushions where guests can rest and reflect for as long as they want.
We were then guided to the Mezzanine Gallery, where Joy Like Time resides. Gillian Wearing’s photo series plasters the walls. From 1992- 1993, she asked strangers on the street to write on a sign, ‘things you want to say, not what other people want you to say.’ Some of the signs read ‘work towards world peace’, ‘will Britain get through recession?’ and ‘my grip on life is rather loose.’ On her own sign, she wrote, ‘I want to keep navigating the unknowingness of life with curiosity and creativity.’ The aim of this piece was to show that everyone’s perception of life is individual and there is no correct answer.
One of the signs from Gillian Wearing’s exhibition
Marina Abramovic’s first piece in this exhibition was ‘Art must be beautiful, Artist must be beautiful.’ Made in the 70’s, this piece focuses on repetition and how the aim of ‘perfection’ is toxic to the human psyche. The original work is a video of Marina violently brushing her hair for 50 minutes, repeating the phrase ‘Art must be beautiful, Artist must be beautiful.’ There are 20 still photos from the video in this exhibition. It also highlights the expectations that are placed on women in society, and the distractions women endure which stops them from living life how they want to.
Blue Period and Red Period, another video converted into print, is also on display. This piece invites viewers to slow down and look at each photo individually. What do the different colours represent? Why is she pulling that face? The interpretations are endless. This intense piece mesmerises the viewer. Marina Abramovic’s view on the meaning of life is: ‘every human being has to discover their own meaning of life.’
The heart of the exhibition is Kalliopi Lemos’ Ritual Garments. She told us that she created them during the pandemic, when she realised humans have more in common than they think. She recognised that religions often crossover with each other, whether it be with characters or beliefs. Lemos hand painted the garments with Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Greek mythology due to her Greek heritage. The illustrations are incredible and so detailed. A quote from Lemos is alongside the art, ‘life is a passage, we enter it translucent, we exit it multicoloured, giving and receiving, getting enriched, our purpose to become and honour its beauty.’
Kalliopi created a digital art piece; something is brewing in the pond.’ The video shows her family wearing the garments and performing a ceremony. She said, “I didn’t have to tell my grandchildren what to do; they just knew.”
Some of Kalliopi Lemos’ garments
Downstairs, there is the Play Power exhibition, which is interactive and colourful. It focuses on how play has always existed, and how life would be more meaningful if everything involved play. From board games to a virtual reality experience, it shows that play widens the human knowledge, creativity and makes life light-hearted. Life truly is just a game.
