Laura Lima's first solo UK exhibition at the ICA, 'The Drawing Drawing', aims to jolt viewers out of habitual thinking through surreal encounters. However, the show's heavy-handed conceptualism and half-baked philosophy often leave it feeling more silly than profound.
The centrepiece is a life-drawing class on wheels: easels and models on motorised platforms autonomously meander around the room. While intended to evoke randomness and chaos, the platforms are programmed with sensors, undermining the unpredictability. The effect is more gimmicky than enlightening.
Other works include a hand reaching for keys under a wall, a dancing parasol on wheels, and a fridge containing images frozen in ice for viewers to defrost. These pieces initially amuse but quickly unravel under scrutiny, offering little substance beyond their absurdity.
Lima's insistence on finding significance in the unexpected feels like a convenient excuse for meaningless work. The show is laden with references to Epicurus and atomist theory, but the execution fails to deliver any real depth. Viewers are left trying to extract meaning from what is ultimately just silly art.
While the form of the works is not without interest, the lack of genuine substance and the forced conceptual framework make the exhibition a frustrating experience. 'The Drawing Drawing' runs until 29 March at the ICA, London.
