Louise Giovanelli: Here on Earth

White Cube, Hong Kong, CN

By Maxime Foucquet

March 27, 2024

Here on Earth, a solo exhibition by British artist Louise Giovanelli—born in 1993 in London, currently residing and working in Manchester, the United Kingdom—at White Cube Hong Kong, has undoubtedly emerged as one of the standout shows of the year, drawing considerable attention and acclaim. Running from 26 March to 18 May 2024, her debut show in Hong Kong and her second solo presentation with the gallery unveils a recent series of oil paintings, which dance between representation and materiality and revisit the fine line between figuration and abstraction.

Drawing upon a diverse array of source materials—from Greek mythology and old-master paintings to twentieth-century cinema—Giovanelli’s new works illuminate the canvas with an otherworldly glow, accentuating themes of theatricality and performance. “Here on Earth” notably features the series ‘Maenad’ (2023–24), figurative compositions inspired by 1980s film stills that explore themes of religious ecstasy, ritual, and the divine feminine. These paintings serve as a modern homage to the ancient Maenads, the frenetic followers of Dionysus, channeling their spirited celebrations into static yet dynamic visuals. In this series, Giovanelli engages with the Eleusinian Mysteries and the Dionysian cult, drawing parallels between historical rituals and contemporary experiences of transcendence and ecstasy.

Her subjects, depicted in moments of rapturous anticipation, act as conduits between the spiritual and the corporeal. Employing techniques such as layering and repeating film stills, Giovanelli accentuates the cinematic quality of her paintings, crafting images that oscillate between motion and stasis, clarity, and obscurity. This methodological exploration of digital imagery’s influence on painting challenges perceptions of authenticity and revelation within the artistic process. Among the notable pieces, “In Harmony” (2024) portrays a shared moment of ecstasy between two individuals, transcending its cinematic origin to evoke universal themes of connection and unity. Meanwhile, “Threadsoul” (2024) revisits the motif of the curtain, symbolizing the unyielding barrier between the visible and the hidden, the known and the unknowable, thus encapsulating the exhibition’s thematic essence.

For more information, please consult White Cube’s website here.