Fever
NIKA Project Space presents Fever, a multisensory exhibition by artist Christiane Peschek (they/them) inspired by the concept of ‘desertness’ – or the condition of being like a desert - and fever dreams. Supported by the gallery’s dedicated research programme, the immersive site-specific show is the artist’s first solo in the UAE and explores extreme emotional and physical states through the lens of the Internet’s impact on culture and society.
In a large-scale takeover of the two-story gallery, Fever blends sound, scent, heat, and visuals to create an experience that explores the space between the obscure and the profound, techno-shamanism - a movement combining technology, electronic dance music, and spirituality - and fiction. On the ground floor of the gallery, Peschek will showcase new portraits created in dialogue with AI and sculptures developed through glass blowing and 3D printing techniques, while the mezzanine will be transformed into a temperature-controlled immersive experience inspired by the purification process of sweating.
Drawing on their previous research on deserts and care-cultures, Peschek conducted research in Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert, from where they articulated their own myths around the representation of protective desert snakes, the blurring sensations of mirage formations, and the cyclical dilemma of Ouroboros, an Ancient Greek symbol portraying a snake eating its own tail that represents the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth.
Fever is part of a cycle of works entitled GAIA SCRIPTS that, when complete, will encompass the planet’s five elements. The exploration of extreme heat in Fever follows Peschek’s previous works, OASIS (air) and THE RITUALS OF VAPOR SHELLS (water).
Peschek says: “Being in the UAE and cut off from my usual understanding of the world made a huge impact on my practice and on my thought process – particularly with regards to this body of work. I
look forward to returning to the UAE, which deeply inspired me and offered a fresh context for ideas about the human condition that I have been investigating in my practice for many years.”
