The Art House will stage the first major solo show by Kate McDonnell, an installation artist and sculptor whose work is informed by her ongoing investigation of how the symptoms and behaviours of mental illness can act as a mechanism for creating artworks.
Processing brings together a series of works investigating the act of repetitive movements to self-soothe, and is evident of purposeless activity and restless movement, impulsiveness and agitation. Fascinated by the understanding of art as a tactile coping mechanism for mental illness, McDonnell creates a body of work rooted in Process art and influenced by Postminimalism, to reveal ephemeral and repetitive artworks that are both vulnerable and relatable to many.
Shown together for the very first time, the works in the exhibition will invite viewers to consider the sublime qualities of mania, or the translation of thought to physical action in relation to mental illness, and how these are incorporated into everyday life. McDonnell’s sculpture and wall-based works are impressive feats of endurance, physical exertion and repetition.