The exhibition is an immersive multisensory experience through the Global South that brings diverse cultures together – from a deep sea-inspired installation to a growing garden in the gallery. The museum’s division into three ‘Atmosphere Rooms’ dedicated to Water, Earth, and Air creates a series of distinct, yet subtly interconnected areas through which to engage with these elemental forces.
Stepping into the darkened exhibition space from the foyer, one is at the entry into the meditation on Water in Atmosphere 1. Inspired by his life-long fascination with the ocean, Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto’s large-scale knitted blue net installation, Um dia todos fomos peixes (One day we were all fish) forms a delicate canopy above and casts shadows underfoot, evoking the feeling of being underwater.
Moving into Atmosphere 2, Air is invoked around themes of migration, diaspora, and kin. Back down to Earth, Atmosphere 3 fosters a conversation around indigenous knowledge systems, extraction, and sustainability. It reinforces the knowledge that ecology and human nature are intimately intertwined.
This visionary concept where the talents of 13 diverse artists from different countries and continents – India, Peru, Colombia and Brazil to Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa – converge to create such a unique experience is an absolute must-see.
Visits are by appointment only and bookings need to be made on the JCAF website for groups of no more than 15. The exhibition can be viewed until 7 December 2024.
