Thaddaeus Ropac London Group Show Explores Body as Fluid Site of Identity
From September 3 to October 1, 2026, Thaddaeus Ropac London will host an exhibition titled 'Like Music in the Blood' at Ely House. This showcase delves into themes of memory and transformation and features works by eight artists, including Benjamin Orlow, Emil Sands, Galli, Hannah Quinlan, Rosie Hastings, Kira Freije, Suleman Aqeel Khilji, and Tanoa Sasraku. Visitors can expect to see Khilji's new paintings, sculptures by Orlow alongside Galli, and collaborative frescoes from Quinlan and Hastings. Additionally, Freije presents an immersive installation, while Sasraku's sculptural newspaper pieces and McClodden's leather art engage with topics of perception and care.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Like Music in the Blood' runs September 3–October 1, 2026, at Thaddaeus Ropac London, Ely House.
- Features eight artists: Benjamin Orlow, Emil Sands, Galli, Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings, Kira Freije, Suleman Aqeel Khilji, Tanoa Sasraku, Tiona Nekkia McClodden.
- Explores the body as a site of memory, identity, and transformation, not fixed representation.
- Suleman Aqeel Khilji's new paintings draw on memories of Quetta, family photos, Urdu calligraphy, and Pakistani cinema.
- Galli and Benjamin Orlow paired to examine vulnerability, transformation, and mythology.
- Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings present fresco paintings on queer identity, public space, and architecture.
- Kira Freije's installation uses steel, aluminium, textiles, and light with exposed fabrication traces.
- Tanoa Sasraku and Tiona Nekkia McClodden explore fragility, care, discipline, and endurance.
- Emil Sands' paintings study perception and observation in interior spaces.
- Exhibition suggests identity is shaped by memory, history, desire, and lived experience.
Entities
Artists
- Benjamin Orlow
- Emil Sands
- Galli
- Hannah Quinlan
- Rosie Hastings
- Kira Freije
- Suleman Aqeel Khilji
- Tanoa Sasraku
- Tiona Nekkia McClodden
Institutions
- Thaddaeus Ropac London
- The Approach
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Quetta
- Pakistan
- Balochistan