Vitória Cribb, @ Ilusão

Vitória Cribb addresses the physical body’s presence in Ilusão. Programming text sprawls across the screen as we enter a landscape of glossy, finely rendered hues. In an attempt to rationalize the contemporary body as one that is untethered by form, Cribb cites how relationships have become impalpable due to technology as a predominant method of communication. The artist uses an avatar to represent the separation of self while elucidating how Black bodies are viewed with similar parameters as digital bodies––exploited and reduced like files or software. The work spotlights the importance of projected data in relation to Covid’s trajectory, explaining that the pandemic has forced worldwide attention to a curve rather than a straight line. Sinuosity, the ability to curve or bend easily, signals a type of flexibility that is imperative to this exhibition. It is echoed in McMillian's animation of Ntu's choreography and demanded in Mersy’s headlines. However, Illusão warns of the fine line between flexibility and manipulation and in closing gently reminds us to straighten our posture.