Karanjit Panesar's 'Actor, Container' Explores Reality Collapse Through Strange Loop Narrative

The film 'Actor, Container,' created by Karanjit Panesar in 2021, presents a cyclical storyline with unclear beginnings and conclusions, showcased at the Two Queens gallery in Leicester. It intertwines scripted philosophical dialogues with everyday occurrences, drawing inspiration from Douglas Hofstadter's idea of a 'strange loop.' The film's structure is akin to an M.C. Escher staircase, looping back to its origin. This work connects to Panesar's 2018 exhibition at Arebyte gallery, titled 'The Way Things Are,' which delves into themes of agency and authenticity within capitalism. 'Actor, Container' features wall-mounted objects displaying face fragments and storyboard sketches. Panesar addresses post-cinema authenticity and the influence of meme-able figures in attention economies. The exhibition is available from May 18 to July 24, part of ArtReview's collaboration with BACKLIT on the Remark platform.