Full Breakdown
Laura Lima's Groundbreaking Exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
1/27/2026, 11:17:53 PM
Overview of the Exhibition
Laura Lima, a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist, will present her first solo exhibition in the UK titled *The Drawing Drawing* at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. The exhibition will run from January 27 to March 29, 2026, and aims to redefine the traditional life drawing class through interactive sculptural installations and live performances. Lima's work has consistently challenged conventional art forms since the mid-1990s, emphasizing the dynamic interactions between bodies, spaces, and objects.
Concept and Installation
At the core of *The Drawing Drawing* is a new interactive installation that transforms the life drawing class—a foundational aspect of Western artistic training—into a conceptual experience. Visitors will engage in drawing while the conventional roles of subject and object, as well as the principles of perspective and representation, are destabilized. This reimagining encourages a poetic exchange that highlights the relationships between participants and their environment.
Throughout the ICA, Lima will showcase discrete performative sculptural works from various stages of her career. One notable piece, *Ascenseur*, first conceived in 2013, features a live performer partially visible to the audience, creating a surreal disruption in the gallery space. This work, along with others, aims to challenge viewers' perceptions of art and the act of seeing.
Institutional Support and Vision
Bengi Ünsal, Director of the ICA, remarked on the significance of Lima's exhibition, stating, “It is this kind of artist and this kind of exhibition that challenges what it means to be an arts institution today.” The ICA's commitment to supporting innovative artists aligns with Lima's exploration of the audience's role in the artistic experience. The exhibition reflects the ICA's core tenets of rejecting hierarchical art forms and centering the audience's engagement.
Broader Cultural Context
*The Drawing Drawing* is part of the UK/Brazil Season of Culture 2025-26, a year-long cultural exchange supported by the British Council and Instituto Guimarães Rosa, Brazil. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and dialogue between the two countries through various artistic endeavors.
Future Developments
Further details regarding the exhibition and related events will be announced in the coming weeks, promising an engaging experience that invites viewers to reconsider their understanding of art and its presentation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Laura Lima, Ascenseur, 2013–2016, Art Basel 2016 Bengi Ünsal, Director, commented: “It is this kind of artist and this kind of exhibition that challenges what it means to be an arts institution today.” — Bengi Ünsal, Director, Institute of Contemporary Arts
Laura Lima's *The Drawing Drawing* is set to be a transformative experience, inviting UK audiences to engage with contemporary art in innovative and participatory ways.
