Anthea Hamilton's Soft You exhibition at Fondazione Memmo reinterprets Othello through sculpture and scent

Anthea Hamilton's exhibition, Soft You, hosted at Fondazione Memmo in Rome, showcases 29 pieces crafted between 2022 and 2025, offering a fresh take on Shakespeare's Othello. The display features 18 framed collaged stills from her stage adaptation set to debut in 2024. Among the sculptural works are Shibari Chefs and Shibari Desk, which incorporate black fibreglass mannequins and traditional Japanese Rankaku techniques. Furniture items include Leg Chair (Rankaku) and Calzedonia (Hot Legs). A striking two-meter-high butterfly sculpture, Transposed Lime Waves, stands beside the reflective Metal Screen. Incense sticks release a scent created in collaboration with Ezra-Lloyd Jackson, alluding to historical blackface performances. The exhibition is open until November 2, 2025, delving into identity, race, gender roles, and sexuality through diverse cultural lenses.