On Sunday, after a Saturday of wind and stormy skies, the sun finally broke through. The Quayside felt alive with the Sunday Market in full swing which seemed like the perfect day to visit the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead and see A Joyful Parasite. A solo exhibition by the London-based Spanish artist Saelia Aparicio.
The exhibition occupies one of the smaller galleries on Level 2, which gives it an intimate and contained atmosphere. My first impression was that the installations looked strange but intriguing, with suspended sculptures twisting in the light, catching both your eye and your curiosity. As someone uneducated in the art scene, I turned to the exhibition text which explained that Aparicio’s work draws on the figure of the parasite, both biological and metaphorical. It explores how closeness and dependence can also carry disturbance, reflecting on the fine line between connection and intrusion.
If I’m honest, a lot of contemporary art passes over me, but this exhibition captivated my attention. It’s fascinating how each piece seems beautiful at first glance yet hides something unsettling beneath the surface. The hanging sculptures cast oddly soothing shadows across the walls, cleverly being delicate, playful, and eerie all at once.
I left feeling inspired. A Joyful Parasite doesn’t answer its ideas but instead leaves us contemplating how beauty and dependence, harmony and intrusion, often coexist, and how even parasitic forms can sustain life and creativity. If you’re around Newcastle in the next few months, I’d definitely recommend a visit, especially if, like me, you’re curious to explore something completely outside of your usual comfort zone.
