Benji Reid: LAUGH AT GRAVITY
Laugh at Gravity is Benji Reid’s first solo exhibition at October Gallery. This highly anticipated show will take place simultaneously with Photo London 2021, where October Gallery’s presentation will include new works by Benji Reid.
Benji Reid considers himself a Choreo-Photolist; a term he coined to encapsulate his unique practice where theatricality, choreography and photography meet in the image. His breathtaking photographs, comprised primarily of self-portraits in incredible, anti-gravitational poses with a medley of props, draws the audience into a different dimension. In the hyper-realities he presents, the subject is liberated by acts of the artist’s imagination. Whether exploring life as an outsider, issues surrounding mental health, or complexities of fatherhood, Reid makes the audience part of the discussion. Each perfectly poised portrait, set against vivid backdrops and adorned with fantastical objects, addresses the world we live in. Everyday objects like a paddle, a sparkler, or a stool transform and transport the subject into an alternative reality which offers protection and liberation.
The photographer Robert Golden describes in detail how Reid ‘’turns the trashcan into a rocket, he will use motors contrived to fly higher and faster than the crowd. His anti-gravitational mysteries, which fail to reflect the ‘real’ world as it seems to be, does what fine art can do in troubled times. He makes us smile – a victory in itself, but more, he provides a greater reality, one worthy of his talent.’’
Reid was shortlisted for the Wellcome Photography Prize 2020 and received the award for the Mental Health (single image) category for his work Holding onto Daddy (2016).
Benji Reid: Laugh at Gravity will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue.
We're pleased to announce a Gallery Talk with Benji Reid and T S Eliot Prize recipient, Roger Robinson, which will be held at October Gallery on 4th September 2021, 3 - 4.30pm.