PILL PARODY
Solo Presentation - VOLTA BASEL 2024
Artist Statement
‘Pill Parody’ a solo exhibition by Australian multidisciplinaryartist Catherine Coady presents a thought-provoking series ofworks featuring Morph, a character that embodies existentialthemes through minimalist expression and symbolic props.Alongside these portraits, Coady showcases her sculptural pillworks, creating a cohesive exploration of identity, emotions, andlife’s absurdities with a playful yet profound touch. Morph is depicted in two portraits, clad in a steel grey/silverbodysuit that renders the character featureless, inviting viewersto project their own interpretations onto the blank canvas. The emotional nuances of Morph are subtly conveyed through carefully selected props, ofering a departure from traditional portraiture and engaging the audience in a deeper dialogue. Complementing Morph’s enigmatic presence are Coady’s sculptural pill works, which feature oversized medications encased in aluminum frames or enlarged pill packets. These pieces, characterized by a restrained color palette mirroring Morph’s attire, enhance the sense of ambiguity and invitecontemplation.
Texts interspersed among the pill sculptures resemble subconscious musings, serving as metaphors for society’s tendency to avoid confronting emotional struggles directly. Deliberately vague, these texts offer insight into the complexities of internal dialogue and challenge viewers to refect on their own perceptions.Both Morph and the pill works offer a lighthearted yet insightful commentary on life’s absurdities, humorously juxtaposing existential themes with playful imagery. Through Morph’sfaceless form and the clinical pill sculptures, Coady underscores humanity’s perpetual search for meaning in a seemingly indiferent world.
Ultimately, this body of work encourages viewers to contemplatethe human experience with a nuanced blend of irony andreverence for the transformative power of art. As viewers stepinto Morph’s world, they are invited to uncover the layers ofmeaning beneath its seemingly simple surface and engage in adeeper exploration of identity and emotion.
