Head on 2007-08

An Algerian artist of Berber origin, Adel Abdessemed is known for his unexpected and sometimes controversial art practice. His works consider a wide range of personal and political themes, often addressing social taboos and presenting them as raw and uncomfortable truths. Abdessemed is also known for works that reflect on the beauty and fragility of life. His visual language is at once poetic and provocative.

Head on is based on a freehand drawing of a brain. The crudely drawn mess of lines transferred into thin white neon tubes, intersect and overlap, together communicating the visually complex pattern of the cerebral cortex. The work playfully alludes to the representation of thought as the switching on of a light bulb, while also suggesting ideas of enlightenment and consciousness. At a time when neurologists are making groundbreaking discoveries and are able to alter human behavioural patterns by manipulating brain chemistry, Abdessemed presents the brain as a beguiling abstract form.