Under the Spell art space is pleased to present its sixth exhibition: Whipped, featuring works by Elleanna Chapman, Gina Fischli, Jamie Fitzpatrick and Unyimeabasi Udoh. It opens on 30 January 2025, from 6pm to 9pm, and is on view until 9 March 2025.
Whipped is a verb rooted in the past, an action rich in contradictions. It evokes a spectrum of associations: the frothy lightness of whipped cream or the sting of a whip cracking against skin. To whip is to stir—eggs beaten to a froth or emotions churned into a storm. To be whipped up is to be excited, aroused, manipulated into feeling, often to extremes. To be whipped is to be subdued—by passion, by power, by punishment—reduced to the status of an
animal, domesticated and controlled.
Indulgence and flagellation, excess and submission, sweetness and violence. These tensions run throughout Whipped: each artist presents two works, or works containing dual elements, revealing a “side B” to each piece. The exhibition invites us to consider: What does it mean to be both the victim and perpetrator of a system that whips us into emotional and ideological submission? This duality resonates powerfully in today’s world, embodied by the omnipresent influence of social media, which shapes not only our individual emotions and actions but also the political and cultural landscape.
Initially believed to overstimulate, social media has instead bred a collective boredom—a paradoxical state linked to irrational and extreme behaviours. It fosters a thirst for empty thrills, sadism and spectacle, whipping us up without even noticing. Scrolling through social media is akin to engaging with a hatred machine cloaked in Chantilly cream. We are desensitised by an endless stream of memes, selfies, Instagram birthday wishes in “stories”, paid content, ads and calls-to-action, as well as niche chat groups that encourage our darkest, most violent impulses. The intersection of politics and aesthetics takes on a whole new meaning in this content-driven society, where our emotional extremes—boredom, frenzy, outrage—are the currency.
What is particularly striking is how social media amplifies herd behavior. It condenses and accelerates interactions, seamlessly weaving emotional manipulation into the fabric of daily life. In doing so, it serves as the ultimate enabler for totalitarian political and belief systems—a dream for those who seek to control and homogenise thought. Social media doesn’t just shape discourse; it exploits our desires for connection and validation while steering us toward conformity. It whips us into ideological submission.
