A container, a shield, a barrier, a shell. Our skin does more than we often give it credit for: it literally holds us together. According to French psychoanalyst, Didier Anzieu, the skin serves an even more precious function than keeping us contained: it sets the structure for our psyche, the basis for our sense of self. The surface where we experience the other, our skin is where we most often connect. This is how we found ourselves kicking off the ninth season of Commissioner, connecting with members during an intimate evening with artists Alejandra Moros and Alicia Bilbao, artists of Common Skin Fantasy.
As members trickled into the cozy gallery Friday evening, they were invited into a moment for pause. The stark white figure of a child, their face buried in their hands, reaching out to its counterpoint in the opposite direction, with ends wrapped tightly around the rigid legs of a stout black chair. The objects flowed so seamlessly together, it was unclear where one begins and the other ends (a common skin).
In the distance, an image requires a closer look. In the center of a small red canvas surrounded by dark, thin strands, lays bare the opening of a pitch-black cave with seemingly no end in sight. “50 Stitches”, Alejandra tells us. The moment right before a patient receiving open-heart surgery is sewn up.
This vulnerable moment sets off a visceral reaction. No wonder I’ve been holding my breath.
As we moved through the gallery, stopping at each piece to learn more, the artists spoke about their process, what inspires them, and how they hope others connect with their work. The word that kept coming up was tenderness—a soft moment, a closeness, an intimacy that continues to grow.
This is how it feels to experience a show with Commissioner. Intimate conversations prompt new understanding and a deeper connection with each other. Before the tour concluded, the artists talked about their own community of fellow artists with whom they work side-by-side. The ones who often check-in, rally behind, and encourage them to listen to themselves when they’re not sure what to do next–especially then.
The evening, filled with so much camaraderie and wonder, served as a reminder that nothing is insular; that we are all connected. A fitting reminder for the first show of Commissioner’s tenth season. One that reveals that we all play a role in each other’s lives, all we have to do is show up.
Schedule a private studio visit with Alicia Bilbao and Alejandra Moros by following the links to their websites. And, keep an eye out for upcoming Tunnel Projects open studio nights, where all artists-in-residence open their doors to the public.
