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New forms of repulsion aren't necessarily "fun" but find interest in this evolving newness, this "becomingness" that forms the abject. Filth is only gross when we fear its spread, contamination. And we have become lovers of filth. It could feel a signifier of our political moment but it started before that. The early 2010s, 2013, Agematsu, E. Smith, Douard, Lupo, Hooper Schneider, and Thek, Tetsumi resurgence et al. It could instead be that rise of CAD and crystalline documentation - the even-white fluorescence provided the clinic - could hold filth at a distance, anti-sceptic photography for petri-dish transmission. Everything looks good in the white light of pornography, even that filth. Like we finally had the clean rooms to handle it, not just white boxes, but had invented technological gloves to package all of it:
Filth: Martin Soto Climent at Michael Benevento & Yuji Agematsu at The Power Station, May the Bridges I Burn Light the Way” at STANDARD (OSLO), Dylan Spaysky at Clifton Benevento, Max Hooper Schneider at High Art, Ajay Kurian at White Flag Projects, Kahlil Robert Irving at Callicoon Fine Arts, Ajay Kurian at Rowhouse Project, Jason Dodge at Franco Noero, Amy Yao at Various Small Fires, Anicka Yi at Cleveland Museum of Art, Chadwick Rantanen at Essex Street, Michael E. Smith at Sculpture Center, Michael E. Smith at Michael Benevento, Michael E. Smith at Zero, Michael E. Smith at Lulu, Michael E. Smith at Susanne Hilberry, Amy Yao at Various Small Fires, Anicka Yi at Cleveland Museum of Art, Nancy Lupo at Kristina Kite & Yuji Agematsu at Miguel Abreu, Nancy Lupo at Swiss Institute, Nancy Lupo at 1857, Yuji Agematsu at Real Fine Arts, Yuji Agematsu at Artspeak, Henrik Olesen at Cabinet, Jason Dodge at Casey Kaplan, “Ungestalt” at Kunsthalle Basel