Gallery Bart is proud to present the solo exhibition Bare machine, in which Lawrence James Bailey (1976) reflects on the influence of a rapidly changing world on human nature. The figures in his textile embroideries are on the borderline between order and chaos, domesticity and wilderness. The exhibition, Bare machine, is a plea for the unknown and elusive, while not losing sight of what connects us.

The title Bare machine can be divided into the themes that inspired Lawrence for this exhibition. With ‘Machine,’ Lawrence refers to the unstable state of global institutions and the social conventions we impose upon ourselves. With a satirical eye, Lawrence illustrates the human being who is left ‘barren’ and isolated by this narrative.

The figures in his works seem to exist between different worlds: on the one hand, part of the wilderness, yet simultaneously alienated from it. Characterized by blank facial expressions and vulnerable poses, the figures evoke a sense of uncertainty within the landscape. In his working method, Lawrence applies coloured fabrics for shading and uses threads to soften transitions, mix colours, or add details. In doing so, Lawrence is inspired by the 19th-century Arts & Crafts movement, Romanticism, 1980s post-apocalyptic films, and historical periods of turmoil.

Besides the heavy themes, Lawrence’s work is also hopeful and forward-looking. With humorous elements such as dancing figures and camouflage patterns, he refers to the idyllic state in which people become one with their surroundings. It is an attempt by humans to reconnect with our primitive origins and shed societal constructs.