Beyond Breaking Point

Beyond Breaking Point was our digital programme in 2022. It was curated by artist Sophie Lindsey, and ran from March-June 2022. It consisted of a series of online exhibitions, events, and interventions that drew on the themes food, futures and biodiversity.

Through considering how work structures and attitudes can nurture unsustainable approaches, expectations, and practices, Beyond Breaking Point aimed to question how we can care for our environment when struggling to care for, and sustain ourselves.

Just as ecosystems need biodiversity to be healthy, we need variety in our lives to thrive; however, pressure to be productive can dominate, with work taking priority over nourishment, relationships and wellbeing.

Work is one element of life, but it can also be a defining part of our identity, and an inescapable exchange for money, security, safety, and care. We are taught that if we love what we do, we will never work a day in our lives, but this love often comes with unconditional self-sacrifice; and we all have our limits.

With overworking being increasingly normalised, and sometimes expected, this pressure builds as we push ourselves individually, and our environment collectively, to breaking points. But why should we accept the exhaustion that comes with staying on this treadmill?

Beyond Breaking Point brought artists Bingyi Liu, Ruth Waters, Paul Shortt and Aminder Virdee together in a series of online exhibitions to consider what happens beyond this exhaustion; what is/isn’t necessary for recovery; what new models are needed; and how to critically consider our capacity moving forward.

A series of webpages that hosted video work, live screenings, printable posters, and texts, were gradually released between March – June 2022.

Given that this programme is exploring unsustainable work structures, models and demands, we worked at a slower pace to ensure that we could respond to the capacity of each participant. This meant that specific dates were released gradually so that we could maintain a level of flexibility.

14 March – Bingyi Liu Exhibition goes live!

28 March – Ruth Waters Exhibition goes live!

31 March, 7pm – Emotion over Raisins, live screening

11 April – Paul Short Exhibition goes live!

06 June – Aminder Virdee Exhibition goes live!

Elements from the exhibitions, and wider projects were shared across our digital platforms. To get a sense of the live programme check out our highlights on Instagram.