Ali Cherri: How I Am Monument at Baltic
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art presents an exhibition from Paris-based, Lebanese artist Ali Cherri. Ali Cherri: How I Am Monument is the artist’s first major institutional exhibition in the UK.
The exhibition has been organised by Baltic in partnership with Secession, an artist-led institution in Vienna, where it was presented from December 2024 to February 2025. The Baltic iteration of the exhibition is an expanded chapter of this collaboration that features Cherri’s new and recent works.
The artist’s practice is rooted in an interest in archaeology, the natural world and how these can be materially used to talk about violence against bodies, objects and nature in regions of conflict. His work highlights constructed narratives around history, heritage and cultural value with a focus on colonialism and geopolitics. His works often resemble archaeological finds or museum artefacts, created using a combination of mediums – for example, the piece Sphinx (2024), a hybrid sculpture created from mud and bronze. These contrasting materials are of key importance for the work – the monumental structure that exudes masculine power stands on a fragile mud plinth.
Ali Cherri: How I Am Monument also features Toppled Monuments 1-6 (2024), wooden sculptures that represent the empty plinths of monuments of deposed leaders or controversial historical figures as well as the three-channel video installation, Of Men and Gods and Mud (2022) and the acclaimed short film The Watchman (2023).
