Introduction.

‘The Anxiety Of Interdisciplinarity 2.0’ is an exhibition of 40+ contemporary artists exploring the terrain of anxiety or uncomfortable ‘between-ness’.

The Anxiety of Interdisciplinarity is an ongoing practice-based research project by artist-curator duo, Sarah Strachan and Ayeshah Zolghadr. Critical interdisciplinarity seeks to ‘intervene, disrupt, and deconstruct’ and is ‘always transformative in some way’ and it is this potential that can induce anxiety. An elevated thumping or irregular heartbeat, faster breathing, a churning feeling in your stomach and light-headedness; these are all familiar effects of anxiety on the human body. Often regarded as a negative state of ‘distress’, non-clinical anxiety might be defined as ‘experiencing failure in advance’.

At Art at the ARB, the duo present ‘The Anxiety of Interdisciplinarity 2.0’, which acknowledges interdisciplinarity as a potential site of ambivalence, tension or a fertile ground for exploration and experimentation. This contemporary art exhibition seeks a counterpoint to anxiety, where a struggle emerges to articulate the feelings with anticipation and excitement — recognising ‘eustress’ as a potential stimulus for ‘the important work…done at the surfaces between adjacent disciplines’.

Curated over four floors of the Alison Richard Building, ‘The Anxiety of Interdisciplinarity 2.0’ brings together over 40 artists working across and between: digital media; drawing; mixed-media; painting; performance; printmaking; sculpture; sound; textile; and video. The exhibition offers an opportunity to initiate conversations and trigger unexpected connections between visitors, artists, artworks and practices.