Shimmering Substance at Cornerhouse Gallery, Manchester

The exhibition 'shimmering substance' at Cornerhouse Gallery in Manchester (13 July – 1 September 2002), curated by Barry Schwabsky and Catsou Roberts, challenges the notion that surface equates to superficiality. Alexis Harding's work references Pollock, with semi-dry paint aggregates sliding and sagging over time, creating ghostly trails governed by gravity. Pae White's 'Silverfish' (2002) uses reflective metal tiles that form a liquid-like sculpture, its shimmer activated by the viewer's movement. Kate Bright's 'Park Lane (Castlemaine)' (2002) deceives the eye: from afar it appears as a realistic photo kaleidoscope, but up close it dissolves into abstract streaks, shifting between abstract and figurative based on viewing distance. Tom Chamberlain's 'Velleity' (2000) and 'Stopping Short' (2001) play with visual perception, with thin pigment layers mimicking ripples on wet sand, creating an elusive matte surface. Rudolf Stingel imitates footprints in snow on thick polystyrene panels, presenting an illusion that challenges the viewer to decide between surrender to the image or analysis of the process. The exhibition demonstrates that the superficial can be both corrupted and transformed.