And this skin of mine, to live again a second time

Guts Gallery is pleased to present a new group exhibition in late Spring 2022, the first group show in our new permanent HQ in London.

‘And this skin of mine, to live again a second time’ contemplates the multiple possibilities and avenues of ‘rebirth’ in our current day and age. Within our unique perspectives as artists navigating through life. Rebirth seemed to encapsulate so many components of a newly fractured existence, post-pandemic. We witnessed a rebirth of our climate and symbiotic ecosystems, our environments - the constructed and the naturalised, our communities, our club culture, our faith, our political views, our fate, our mortality and our resistance.

In some ways, these rebirths were also resistances/reactions to the prior structures. With this at the core of our discussions, we invited poet James Massiah to compose a text in response to these themes surrounding 'rebirth'. We wanted the works and the artists themselves in the exhibition to be in reaction to the words and emotions in James’ text. The text forms the roots, so to speak of the entire exhibition. We then offered this text to exhibiting artists to respond to.

Featuring new sculptural and painting works by international and London based artists, ‘And this skin of mine to live again a second time’ hopes to delve further into the capability or necessity to be constantly reborn / rebirthing.

Shadi Al-Atallah

Alvaro Barrington

Jess Beige Kim

Nicole Coson

Harminder Judge

Kemi Onabule

Lydia Pettit

Alexis Ralaivao

Nana Wolke

Emanuel de Carvalho

Larissa de Jesús Negrón

Mussel Shell by James Massiah

"...and then I just come out the water"

it's dripping

running in my eye

but I can see

just like before

I feel like me

Always was but now I are

I feel the salt

in all my scars

and know my skin will start again

I'm coming up like out a well

sky above and

world below

water-tomb

and mussel shell

to the surface touching air

ocean born

and worldly now

sure that I will err again

but free from shame

to learn to swim

out the pool

and free to sin

out the belly

out the slime

out inside

a sacred nine

anew

me

and this skin of mine

to live again

a second time

James Massiah is a poet & musician from South London, UK whose work explores ideas about sexuality, mortality & philosophy through performance, writing & visual media. His ongoing series of New Poems is released in volumes and details his day-to-day experiences of life, love and labour in London. He has been commissioned to produce work for the BBC, The Guardian & Nike as well as featuring in campaigns for Selfridges, Loewe, Adidas & Champion. He has performed readings of his work at the Tate Modern, the Courtauld, the Institute of Contemporary Arts & the Houses of Parliament & been profiled in Vogue, Dazed, i-D & GQ. He has also curated events for Boiler Room & hosts the monthly ‘Poætry Show’ on NTS Radio.