Loathed in Language
2008 - 2009
Installation
Polyethene bags, paint
42 × 74 × 253 cm
Presented as part of the D.Daskalopoulos Collection Gift
Karla Black’s (1972, Alexandria, Scotland) sculptural practice uses unconventional materials like cosmetics, sugar, and cellophane to create monumental installations. Often linked to femininity and domesticity, these materials challenge established ideas about art’s weight and permanence. Her sculptures initially appear fragile yet carry an imposing presence, inviting viewers to explore the tension between fragility and strength encouraging reflection on life’s transience. Her large-scale works maintain an intimate quality, physically and emotionally immersing viewers. One of the central themes in Black’s practice is her exploration of femininity and the domestic sphere. Her use of materials traditionally associated with women’s labour challenges the hierarchy of art materials, elevating the everyday to the realm of the extraordinary. In doing so, she engages with feminist discourse, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of gender, labour, and artistic expression.
At first glance, Black’s sculptures appear delicate, ephemeral, and fragile: polyethene bags and paint in the case of Loathed in Language (2008–2009) and polythene, chalk dust, and thread in the case of Nature Does the Easiest Thing (2011). Her tactile exploration of these materials is profoundly intimate, and viewers observe the subtle tension between the materials’ fragility and the sculptures’ imposing physical presence. This juxtaposition encourages contemplation of the transitory nature of existence and the idea of impermanence and entropy. The artist’s approach to colour is equally mesmerizing; she incorporates pastel hues and muted tones, creating a dreamlike and almost ethereal atmosphere within her installations. Karla Black’s art sparks wonder, urging viewers to embrace their senses and emotions.
Karla Black was born in Alexandria, Scotland and lives and works in Glasgow. Her work is in major public collections: Tate, London; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; KiCo Collection, Munich. Solo exhibitions (selection): New Art Gallery Walsall, England (2023); Modern Art Gallery, London (2022); Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (2021); Des Moines Art Center, Iowa (2020); Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (2019); The Power Plant, Toronto (2018), Festival d’Automne, Paris (2017), Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium (2017); Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh (2016); Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (2016); Gemeentemuseum, The Hague (2013); Dallas Museum of Art, Texas-USA (2012); Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow (2012). group exhibitions (selection): In a Waiting Room, Fiorucci Art Trust, London (2019); MACBA Collection. Beneath the Surface, Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona (2018); Whitechapel Gallery, London, Manifesta 10, St. Petersburg (2014), Centre Pompidou, Paris (2016). Black represented Scotland at the 57th Venice Biennale (2017).