Sam Riviere publishes poem responding to Ed Atkins's Tate Britain exhibition

Sam Riviere has written a new poem titled 'Anybody there?' in response to Ed Atkins's 2025 exhibition at Tate Britain. The poem appears in ArtReview's monthly series featuring original poetry inspired by contemporary art. Riviere's work engages with Atkins's digital practice, which centers on language through CGI videos and performances featuring digital avatars and uncanny imagery. Atkins creates protagonists modeled on himself performing musical pieces in rendered spaces. The exhibition explores questions of presence and identity, asking who is really there in these digital environments. Riviere's poem mirrors this inquiry through fragmented dialogue and disjointed phrases that echo the exhibition's themes. The poet's latest collection 'Mirrors for Princes' was published in 2025 by After Hours Ltd. ArtReview continues its tradition of commissioning poetic responses to significant art exhibitions.