Words by Lloyd Galbraith, Guest Writer, Bermudez Projects
Camilla Taylor’s artwork demands introspection.
Her recent exhibition at the Bermudez Projects space in Downtown Los Angeles offered viewers an opportunity to connect with it and, ultimately her, on a deeper, visceral level.
Upon entering the gallery, the first thing noticeable was the unconventional placement of all the sculptures; as if surrounding viewers was an omen of things to come with their dark energy and potential interactivity. This compulsion to approach each and every piece to better understand their purpose and intent makes itself evident when experiencing these artworks in person.
Ghostly figures, seemingly morphing out of the walls with their arms, legs and torsos dripping downward, alongside headless figures, disembodied heads, and amorphous forms – either chained, seated, or framed – present themselves as captive souls in need of someone to connect with in order to be set free.
At the heart of Taylor’s deeply psychological opus is a series of etchings depicting androgynous figures at a standstill, shrouded in clouds of anxiety, and ensnared in their own minds. Think Silent Hill.
These twelve etchings provide the crux to what may be Taylor’s motive: getting us to understand how absolutely strange the human experience is.
We are imprisoned in fleshy meat sacks we call our body; governed by minds that never seem to shut down. Our doubts, worries, expectations, and dreams are on a never ending loop while we search for solace.
Walking away from Taylor’s works, particularly an entire exhibition of them, might incite viewers to contemplate their own human experience.
And, no matter how odd and occasionally abysmal the experience may be, many of us can always find tranquility from the shadows that haunt us through art.
(Courtesy of Bermudez Projects, Los Angeles)