Curator’s Perspective: “Phantoms and Auras” Presented by Mark Scala, chief curator

Loss, remembrance, and the hope for a spiritual essence that transcends the body have been subjects of art throughout history. Chief curator Mark Scala will discuss ways that artists in Phantom Bodies depict human presence-in-absence through shadows or masks, through photographs and objects associated with the missing person, or by alchemically transforming the physical body into another form of matter or energy. The exhibition’s title is inspired by the phenomenon known as the phantom limb syndrome. Those experiencing this have lost some part of their bodies but feel it to be still present. While it is a source of sensation and frequently pain, the phantom limb here symbolizes the longing to fill the spaces that accrue through life. Phantom Bodies is meant to inspire reflection about the relationship between body, mind, and soul, while triggering feelings of empathy, remembrance, and compassion.

Image: Adam Fuss (British, b. 1961). Medusa, from the series Home and the World, 2010. Gelatin silver print photogram, edition 3 of 9, 94 1/2 x 56 3/4 in. Courtesy of the artist and Cheim & Read, New York. © Adam Fuss