Evelina Kehagia
Tapeworm Love
Project Info
- 💙 Hyperlink Athens
- 💚 Hyperlink Athens
- 🖤 Evelina Kehagia
- 💜 Sophia Lascaris
- 💛 Rafail Souliotis and Hyperlink Athens
Share on
Advertisement
Investigating dystopian landscapes and parasitic entities, Evelina Kehagia's exhibition
"Tapeworm Love" at Hyperlink Athens immerses viewers in a world where symbiosis and
decay converge. Drawing from a wellspring of fascination with the ancient and the alien and
through her fascination with organic and non-organic fossils, microorganisms, and
ecosystems, Kehagia crafts a narrative concerning the dialogue between the natural and the
artificial.
The exhibition unfolds through three works of art: External Cryogenics explores the concept of
suspended animation and artificial preservation. Through a display of mechanical
components and biological motifs, Kehagia prompts viewers to ponder the boundaries of life
and death, raising questions about the ethical implications of prolonging existence through
artificial means. The artwork serves as a reminder of humanity's quest for immortality and the
consequences of tampering with the natural order.
Concurrently, Spathozoic draws inspiration from the amalgamation of organic and artificial
elements, symbolising a convergence of natural forms with constructed anatomies. The term
itself invokes images of both leaf or flower structures as well as the man-made sword, fused
together with an animal form, denoting the interplay between the organic and the industrial.
Within the context of the exhibition, Spathozoic evokes a narrative of hybridity, a mechanism
possibly employed by for survival and interconnectedness in diversified realms. Kehagia
masterfully merges the organic with the industrial, inviting contemplation on the origins of life
and the role of technology in shaping our existence.
Meanwhile, Coolant Feed examines the relationship between machines and parasitic entities
in a post-apocalyptic world. Inspired by Earth's tapeworm, or "the Neoprene Weaver",
Kehagia envisions a symbiotic ecosystem where synthetic creatures thrive on coolant fluids
extracted from life-preserving machines. This snail-like sculpture serves as a poignant
commentary on humanity's dependence on technology and the inevitable entanglement of
organic and artificial life forms.
Throughout the exhibition, Kehagia's work is imbued with personal and ritualistic significance,
reflecting her deep connection to the materials she collects from abandoned spaces. Each
artwork tells a story of adaptation and survival, highlighting the resilience of life in the face of
adversity. As viewers navigate through this experience, they are invited to contemplate the
complexities of human intervention, natural evolution, and the uncertain future that lies ahead.
Accompanying the exhibition is a performance by the audio-visual artist duo MIRA新伝統,
composed of electronic musician Raphael Leray and performer Honami Higuchi. Their
interdisciplinary approach combines theory-fiction, video, soundtrack, and performance art to
explore themes of the Anthropocene, otherness, and post-humanity. Through their uncanny
compositions and transgressive visuals, MIRA新伝統 another layer is imbued into Kehagia's
exploration of the human condition in an ever-shifting paradigm.
Sophia Lascaris