GRAVITY brings together a body of paintings that explore the emotional and physical weight carried by the human figure. Here, gravity is understood not only as a force that acts upon the body, but also as a metaphor for memory, vulnerability, longing and transformation.

Many of the paintings begin on top of older works. What started as a practical decision to reuse canvases has gradually become central to McGiff’s practice. Rather than completely covering what came before, she allows earlier marks and passages of paint to remain visible beneath the surface. The process of painting over, scraping back and repainting has become closely tied to the way she thinks about identity and memory. Just as previous paintings continue to exist within the new image, our experiences continue to shape us without ever fully disappearing. Each painting holds multiple histories at once, allowing the surface itself to become a record of change over time.

The exhibition is rooted in the material language of oil paint itself. Through repeated cycles of building, scraping away and repainting, each work records its own history. The surface becomes a place where uncertainty is preserved rather than concealed, inviting viewers to spend time with images that resist definitive interpretation.

GRAVITY reflects McGiff’s ongoing interest in the many versions of ourselves we carry. Each work remains intentionally open, encouraging viewers to find their own points of recognition within the paintings – asking how painting can express the emotional experiences that often exist beyond the limits of language. The exhibition will debut in our Creativity Pavilion, before travelling to ArtFloor Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan, for its second presentation.