Illustrator Linder's retrospective exhibition debuts at the Hayward Gallery, featuring scented reconstruction of selected images.

In the heart of London, the Hayward Gallery is currently playing host to two extraordinary multidisciplinary retrospectives, showcasing the works of Yoshitomo Nara and Linder.

First up is Yoshitomo Nara, a renowned Japanese artist whose retrospective runs from June 10 to August 31, 2025. With over 150 works on display, visitors will be treated to a diverse collection spanning four decades of his career. The exhibition includes drawings, paintings, sculptures, installations, and ceramics, offering a comprehensive look at Nara's artistic journey.

Simultaneously, Linder, a Liverpool-born artist celebrating her seventieth year, is meeting at the gallery for her first London retrospective. Her exhibition, titled 'Linder: Danger Came Smiling', is on until 5 May 2025. Throughout her fifty-year career, Linder's love for print media is evident, with more than a century of print media included in the exhibition.

Linder's work is known for its exploration of themes from pornography to fashion, ballet, fetish, weightlifting, and art history. One of her most well-known pieces is a photomontage created in 1977 for the cover of Buzzcocks' debut single 'Orgasm Addict'. In her latest exhibition, Linder includes a series of photographs of herself and a friend engaging in the fetishistic practice of 'sploshing'. These photographs, a tribute to Linder's late father, were created as a cathartic experience for the artist.

Linder's photomontages often depict fluid pastiches that criss-cross conventional gender roles and turn the male gaze on its head. In her work, she cuts out the heads of her subjects, protecting them and giving them a sense of power with the use of domestic utensils. Linder appreciates the materiality of print, including its smell and texture, and believes that pixels lack the perfume of print.

Meanwhile, the 'sploshing' photographs depict Linder and her friend covered in various foods such as custard, rice pudding, food coloring, honey, yogurt, and cream. These provocative images, while unsettling to some, are a testament to Linder's ability to elevate mundane objects and add a sense of reverence to everyday items.

For those interested in Linder's work, tickets for 'Linder: Danger Came Smiling' can be purchased on southbankcentre.co.uk. For those more drawn to the whimsical world of Yoshitomo Nara, the artist's retrospective is not to be missed. Both exhibitions celebrate and recontextualize the representation of the female body, often using humor and contrast.

Whether you're a seasoned art enthusiast or a curious newcomer, the Hayward Gallery's current offerings promise an unforgettable journey through the worlds of Yoshitomo Nara and Linder.

Illustrator Linder's retrospective exhibition debuts at the Hayward Gallery, featuring scented reconstruction of selected images.