WHAT
The artist’s first solo exhibition at the gallery is a presentation of a kinetic installation and many of his recent paintings. They explore the relationship between machinery and humanity in this age of technological innovation. A dimly lit room adjacent to the main gallery space hosts the show’s eponymous centrepiece, ‘Auto Soma’ (2023), a set of four sculptural figures mounted on a wall whose appearance lingers between an industrial engine, a helmet armour, and an alien totem. Elsewhere in the exhibition, Pearce’s paintings capture, reimagine, and depict the kinetic figures in bizarre, otherworldly forms.

WHY
Science fiction is a popular entertainment genre and has been for many years. However, Pearce’s work showcases that this one fictional genre is becoming more and more of a reality. Presenting what is almost an unpleasant vision that seems associated with a dystopian sci-fi future, but is actually a mirror image of what is happening today, the exhibition prompts viewers to take a closer look at their own lives to reassess their perspective of reality.