A Public Affair

From Thu. 12 Sep. 2024

To Sat. 29 Mar. 2025

In A Public Affair, curator Bayo Hassan Bello explores the shifting boundaries between private and public space, examining how systems of power and autonomy are constructed and contested. Spanning three floors of Cloud Seven’s gallery, the exhibition unfolds through three thematic lenses — Spaces, Systems, and Sovereignty — each addressing how public and private spheres continuously shape and redefine one another.

35 artists:

Helena Almeida, Reza Aramesh, Éric Aupol, Younes Baba-Ali, Alvin Baltrop, Léa Belooussovitch, Aline Bouvy, David Brognon & Stéphanie Rollin, Laurie Charles, Aleskandra Chaushova, James Casebere, David Claerbout, Margaret Courtney-Clarke, Tacita Dean, Dries Depoorter, Romeo Gómez López, Jan Henderikse, Hideyuki Ishibashi, Kapwani Kiwanga, Maria Kley, Robert Mapplethorpe, Edgar Martins, Michel Mazzoni, Jacqueline Mesmaeker, Michael Patterson-Carver, Yoel Pytowski, Carmen Reátegui, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hank Willis Thomas, Barthélémy Toguo, Danh Vō, Nico Williams, Ulla-Stina Wikander, Wiktoria Wojciechowska, Yunyao Zhang.

Ground Floor – Subvertions

Explores how desire and proximity is imbued with poignant, politically charged and often dramatic consequences. The inquiries on private and public life which began with A Private Affair last May and continues with A Public Affair are deepened on this floor. This closing act opens up a soft and intimate view on subversion through the photographic image.

First Floor – Spaces

Challenges us to think about what makes a space private or public. Are spaces like a church, an artist’s studio, or a cinema truly private? Or are they always shaped by public rules, surveillance, and expectations? The artworks prompt questions about how our homes, workplaces, and even public spaces like parks and streets are constantly negotiated. Can a place be both private and public at the same time? How do historical, cultural, or political contexts change our understanding of a space?

Second Floor – Systems

Examines how larger structures of power—such as governments, economies, and social norms—control and organize our lives. What are the hidden rules that shape our behaviors and interactions? The artworks explore how people either fit into or resist these systems and how historical and global connections play a role in our present lives. Can we find new ways to organize ourselves that are fairer and more just? What happens when individuals or communities push back against these structures?

Third Floor – Sovereignty

Focuses on the idea of control and autonomy—both on a personal level and in a broader sense. What does it mean to have control over our own choices and identities? How do people claim or lose their right to self-determination? The artworks explore these questions, offering different points of view on how we navigate the tension between authority and personal freedom.