Afterwalls: Of the Panopticon and Its Ruins, a group exhibition held at Millbank, London, successfully concluded after showcasing the works of 15 artists from the University of the Arts London (UAL). Spanning from August 14th to 16th, 2024, this exhibition offered an in-depth exploration of the intricate power dynamics between artists and the institutions that both shape and regulate their creative practices.
In modern society, art institutions such as museums, galleries and art schools have played a crucial role in shaping the art world. They have been critiqued for solidifying the hierarchical power systems in society by absorbing avant-garde movements into mainstream culture and rejecting the diversity of artists’ discourses. Institutions are found to be becoming more exclusive and untrustworthy. The art institution’s power is not just about dominating the culture; it also mirrors the panopticon in that it holds the disciplinary power which subtly regulates artists’ notions, behaviours and identities through normalisation and surveillance. On the other hand, the art institution provides artists with the space and resources to conduct their practice. Their interdependent relationship generates a controlled but productive environment for creating and disseminating art. Afterwalls invites visitors to reconsider the relationship between the individual and the institution beyond the dichotomy of dominance and resistance and how it contributes to shaping the art world in the future.
There has yet to be a perfect physical realisation of Bentham’s concept. As one of Bentham’s legacies, Millbank Penitentiary heavily reflected his original design. The uncertainty of surveillance would lead prisoners to unconsciously regulate their behaviours and internalise the facility’s discipline. In the late 20th century, inspired by this phenomenon, Michel Foucault reinterpreted the concept of the panopticon as a metaphor for understanding the subtle and pervasive control of the institution in modern society.
The panopticon is an institutional building type initially proposed and designed by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham in the 18th century. In his design, the architecture consists of a circular prison with a central tower for surveillance. Such a structure allows one or a few supervisors to observe all inmates living in each cell of the facility without being seen and constantly communicate with them, creating a highly efficient prison system.
In response to these histories and the physical structure of the panopticon,11 UAL alumni and 4 residents from the Millbank Summer Residency are invited to present their diverse perspectives on institutional power in Afterwalls. The featured artists employ a variety of materials and techniques to articulate their interactions with internal and external forms of discipline, such as the use of visual illusions to highlight surveillance in daily life, critiquing self-regulation and reevaluating their engagement with the art educational system.
The exhibition Afterwalls: Of the Panopticon and Its Ruins is curated by Catherine Li, Yaqi Liang, Wanjing Lin and Charmaine Wah.
Text by
Yaqi Liang
Edited by
Charmaine Wah
Lead Curator
Catherine Li
Curators
Charmaine Wah
Yaqi Liang
Wanjing Lin
Photographer
Dennis Ngan
Producer
Calie Calatayud
Production Assistant
Martha Short
Exhibition Build Technicians
Lenny Terrones-Huet
Sam Hewland
Jamie Measure-Hughes
George Hill-Baker
Special Thanks
Ian Monroe – MA Fine Art Course Leader
Lynton Talbot – MA Curating and Collections Senior Lecturer
Matthew Evans – Projects and Showcase Build and Logistics Manager
Samantha Elliott – Associate Dean Student Journey
Adriano Digaudio – Professional Practice Manager
All photographs © Dennis Ngan 2024.