Susan Cianciolo's Solo Show at South London Gallery Explores RUN Legacy and Personal Trauma

Susan Cianciolo's solo exhibition 'God Life: Modern House on Land outside Game Table' runs at the South London Gallery through 1 September 2019. The artist, who experienced a severe assault in 2003 that left her clinically dead, discusses how this trauma fundamentally altered her life and artistic practice. Cianciolo originally gained recognition for her RUN clothing line (1995-2001), which included 11 collections, pop-up restaurants, and performance-based runway shows in unconventional venues. After a psychological burnout in 2001, she shifted focus to visual art, creating DIY kits containing personal fragments and clothing meant for home assembly. Her work often involves her daughter Lilac Sky and explores domestic labor through collaborations like RUN Home with designer Kiva Motnyk. Cianciolo's 2015 exhibition at Bridget Donahue gallery marked her first New York solo show in over 12 years, followed by participation in the 2017 Whitney Biennial and MoMA PS1's 2015 Greater New York survey. She currently teaches at Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design while preparing a new exhibition at Overduin & Co in Los Angeles featuring geometric wooden sculptures and sound components. The artist describes her creative process as guided by meditation and spiritual visions, requiring significant isolation despite the communal nature of her performances.