Celestial Palpitations is inspired by the everyday ritual of opening sachets of methylphenidate (marketed as Ritalin and Concerta), a medication taken by the artist's brother to manage narcolepsy. The work draws from the liminal states he inhabits as the packets are opened and the medication begins to mediate the boundaries between sleep and wakefulness.
Enlarged, illuminated, and torn impressions of the sachets immerse viewers in a threshold where consciousness and unconsciousness converge, revealing dreamlike, veiled landscapes. Printed on each packet is a small black star, a regulatory mark indicating that only one tablet remains, designed to help patients monitor their medication.
In this work, the printed star becomes more than a functional symbol. It mediates the shifting terrain between sleep and wake while serving as an anchor that helps orient the medicine taker through these transitional states. Moving between reality and imagination, the star resists clear divisions, suggesting that the boundaries between the two are porous rather than fixed.
This slide projection work is part of the artist's ongoing project on sleep that involves collaborative workshops, 'Oneiric Kitchen', with a well-being practitioner, Susie Cunningham.
Exhibition History
- Loophole, working from home, London, UK
- Remains, Greatorex Street, London, UK