About

When the former Suella Braverman plaque, an exhibition in collaboration with Freedom from Torture, was vandalised, a series of “invigilators” were installed on the exterior of the Kabinett as a playful response and social commentary.

Emojis are highly recognisable and familiar symbols. They transcend language and are widely used, understood, and employed in daily communication. Unlike the inherently political nature of the plaque, emojis are inherently non controversial. Having been widely adopted into the contemporary vernacular and new media practice, they are ubiquitous and wholly commonplace.

Usually encountered on either a smartphone or a computer, the way emojis appear in our lives is generally as a small digital object. The irregular scale and atypical application of The Invigilators, with their custom canary yellow colour, imperfectly round shape, and handmade aesthetic, present a departure from the expected interaction of what is otherwise standard.

The employment of the sometimes less-than-happy emojis, including a raised eyebrow, a pondering face, melting, crying laughing, and dazed, invites the viewer to consider more complex emotions and their endless interpretations. Despite the emojis themselves being standardised, the perception and use will vary between individuals, whose emotions will always fall onto a spectrum.

12 Jan 2024 – current