Henry Hudson has a go at polymathism with this ambitious exhibition, Pathway, at Galerie Kandlhofer. This spluttering of works - from his notable, pulsating Plasticine Jungle Series, to new collaborations and investigations into ways of making, Hudson’s varying approaches confront the ideas and ideals surrounding nature, with the gusto of a dreamer.
Hudson's plasticine jungles encapsulate our complicated relationship with nature; as we revere and seek to preserve yet are enamoured by man-made materials. Compositions originate from his reflections on nature in London, extrapolated by visits to the Caribbean - and so not direct responses, but ‘mind states’, as Hudson asserts. An existential anxiety runs through the image - plasticine in its dexterity is akin to a stress ball - it moulds, and submits to human force. We project this psychosis onto nature. Notably, in the series, the scenes are free of animals and birds; as if God finished prematurely. A push and pull between order and chaos reflects our human nature. They are impressive, all knowing and utopical. Could these colours really exist? Could all these flowers and lush green leaves? Hudson works with the improbable to create dystopian dreams that underpins all of our anxieties.