Tate Britain Spotlights the Uncanny Genius of Ed Atkins

In the realm of Ed Atkins, bodies appear restless, seemingly weightless and profoundly perplexed. They drift, emit sounds of discomfort, malfunction, chuckle, and on occasions, completely dissolve, navigating the world as if they’re constantly aware of their own essence. These bodies are strikingly present yet strangely detached, much like our own at times. They serve as containers for emotions that seem unsure of how to express themselves effectively.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve just learned that Tate Britain has unveiled the UK’s largest collection of Atkins’ work, a digital artist who’s mastered the art of blending the intimate and absurd. His name is synonymous with British digital art, and it’s well-deserved. Known for his mesmerizing computer-generated animations, he excels at the uncanny, taking contemporary technologies and crafting something remarkably human – emotions like love, longing, and grief, all meticulously pixel-perfect.

This unique exhibition showcases a variety of moving image pieces, videos, texts, paintings, embroideries, and sketches from the past fifteen years. The display begins with “Death Mask II” (2010) and “Cur” (2010), two video works that set the tone for Atkins’ signature visual aesthetic and atmosphere. As you progress through the exhibit, later works like “Refuse.exe” (2019), “The Worm” (2021), and “Pianowork 2” (2024) demonstrate how Atkins has mostly transitioned to using CGI, but then returned to more physical mediums.

The museum expressed that they aim to create an atmosphere where the ordinary feels extraordinary, incorporating elements of deviation, error, perplexity, disorder, and disruption. For them, this exhibition is a fresh perspective on the chaotic reality of life: as we accumulate experiences, life becomes increasingly complex and less predictable.

The core of the exhibition features an extensive assortment of approximately 700 Post-It drawings, crafted for his children’s lunchboxes. These joyful, playful, confessional, and absurd pieces offer a glimpse into the larger exhibition theme: the chaotic, genuine, and unrestrainable emotions that define our humanity.

Ed Atkins is now on view through August 25.

Tate Britain
Millbank,
London SW1P 4RG,
United Kingdom

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