We Are All the Same Beneath the Surface

An exhibition titled “soft weapons: Keep Your Fucking Hands Off My Body” showcases works by 29 artists curated by Cassandra Neyenesch and Lydia Nobles in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The exhibition delves into themes of bodily autonomy and surveillance, drawing from the concept of “soft power” and the idea of art as a tool of resistance, inspired by Gordon Parks’s famous assertion that his camera was his choice of weapon. The show, set in a temporarily lent industrial space, features diverse artworks that engage with the human body as both an object of freedom and resistance against forces of suppression. The artworks invite viewers to reflect on their own bodies through evocative, immersive installations that challenge conventional perceptions and provoke thought on the intersection of technology, capitalist consumption, and bodily agency.

Striking pieces include Christen Clifford’s monumental print series “We Are All Pink Inside,” offering unedited images of intimate physiological landscapes that oppose the manipulated visuals often dominating media. Aneesa Julmice’s “The Trinity” mimics surveillance, while Aliza Shvarts’s “Dark Play” engages viewers through incantation-like phrases etched into plastic cones. In the multi-sensory experience of Ayanna Dozier’s film “Nightwalker,” the atmosphere eerily captures human interactions in dimly lit urban spaces.

By inhabiting an interstitial, evolving location, the exhibition embodies a spirit of artistic resilience amid commercial development pressures. It underscores art’s potential as a medium for social commentary and personal empowerment, emphasizing the urgency of protecting bodily rights and freedoms in an age of increasing technological dominance and preservation of material resources. The exhibition remains open through November 22, exploring the multidimensional dialogue between art, viewers, and societal constructs around surveillance and autonomy.