Nairy Baghramian's 'Jumbled Alphabet' at South London Gallery explores disfunction through playful sculpture

Nairy Baghramian's solo exhibition 'Jumbled Alphabet' at South London Gallery presents an array of sculptural works that challenge conventional order and interaction. The Iranian-born, Berlin-based artist, known for her participation in the Venice Biennale (2011 and 2019) and Documenta, fills the Main Gallery with large, quirky objects from her ongoing 'Misfits' series. These pieces, resembling playground equipment, oversized crayons, and gloved hands, are displayed on low-level platforms rather than traditional pedestals, inviting viewers to engage from a child's perspective. Some sculptures spill off their platforms, further disrupting expectations. In the nearby Fire Station building, the installation includes 'Hand Me Down,' a sketch table by Nicholas Hsuing where only children can add drawings, while adults may touch certain plush-looking sculptures. A video documents local children interacting with the works and responding to portraits that subvert images of cheerful youth. The exhibition, which runs until 12 January 2025, extends across both of SLG's Peckham locations, requiring movement between venues. Baghramian's practice conceptually examines relationships between architecture, design, and the body, celebrating 'dis-functional' beauty through forms that don't fit together perfectly. The show aims to blur boundaries between formal exhibition spaces and children's playgrounds, encouraging playful engagement while questioning rational order.