Carey Young: Appearance

Modern Art Oxford recently opened its doors to multimedia artist Carey Young’s major UK solo exhibition Appearance, named after the video project at its centre. It delves into Carey’s interest in women, power, and the law, and asks viewers to interrogate the question of ‘how close’ can the ‘law get?’ With its imaginative and thought-provoking pieces, the exhibition is bound to stimulate questions and discussions around these themes.

Carey’s exhibition fully utilises the exhibition space, featuring three video installations as well as numerous photographic prints and texts. Together, they provide what MAO calls a ‘female-centric’ vision of the law and its structures, reimagining what and who shapes our legal systems.

One particularly striking work is Carey’s self-portrait; her photograph Court Artist (Supreme Court), which juxtaposes her own mirror selfie with a photograph of an all-male panel of judges. The image prompts reflection on the inequalities surrounding gender representation in law.

Appearance forms the largest and most formative part of the exhibition. Carey invites viewers to sit and witness a 49 minute long video, during which fifteen British women judges are asked to sit and have a one-on-one video portrait taken of them. The curious gaze of Carey’s camera interrogates the judges, focusing on their accessories, clothing, or facial features. The experience of sitting in a dark, silent space while watching silent video portraits represents an opportunity for viewers to imagine what it means to be a woman judge, and reflect on their preconceived expectations.

The reflective, imaginative process that Carey’s exhibition provokes does not stop once visitors leave. The Creative Studio, which is a central part of Modern Art Oxford’s exhibition space, provides various activities for visitors. There is an opportunity to put on judges’ robes, as seen in Appearance, and to sit in front of a camera. There are also activity sheets and cards asking visitors to write and display their answers to questions such as ‘What does being a feminist mean to you?’, as well as ‘How does photography make you feel?’

Carey’s exhibition at MAO comes at a fascinating moment in politics and history. With Britain leaving the EU, the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and ongoing debates around institutionalised misogyny and misconduct within the Metropolitan Police, questioning and interrogating the law through a feminist lens is more crucial than ever. Carey’s ability to gently encourage viewers to reimagine and rethink legal systems through a feminist and interrogative lens signals an exciting moment in her career and makes Appearance an exhibition that is undoubtedly worth visiting.