“An (art) object exists between eternity and the rubbish heap”
– Tadeusz Kantor

Natalia Zagorska-Thomas’s strange and evocative mixed media sculptures take over the Fitzrovia Chapel for four days in May. This collection of broken and discarded objects which have outlived their original purpose seem to be engaged in a process of self-reinvention. Perhaps they have been brought here as part of some unknown ritual. Perhaps they were seeking sanctuary. Or maybe they have always been there, unnoticed, undergoing a slow process of metamorphosis and have simply grown too big to ignore.

The private view of the exhibition on 12 May, 6-8.30pm will include a London launch of NOON, a New York based literary magazine with readings by Lara Pawson, Lucie Elven and a discussion with Natalia about her work which features in the 2026 issue of the magazine.

Each day, the exhibition will include durational performances by Natalia and Rachel Pearcy, which will take place throughout the run of the show at regular intervals. No booking necessary.

ExPurgamento [the name of Natalia’s gallery] is Latin for ‘out of the dirt’. Refuse, in other words. Riddance. What nobody wants and has been scoured away. This, however, is where Natalia Zagórska-Thomas finds her material and her inspiration. She understands the mute eloquence of things – of objects, oddments, tools, fabrics – and wants to make them speak, or speak again, in her work. They may, after passing through her hands, speak louder than she does. That is one of the mysteries of her practice.

Let’s assume that certain objects have outlived their usefulness. Through long contact with human beings, they have assimilated some of the symbolism placed upon them, then used it as a starting-point for their own pursuit of autonomous identity. Because they are not considered – by humans – valuable enough to be collected for themselves, they are engaged in a fight for survival. Taking such snippets of human experience as they have picked up from literature, visual art and music, they adapt them to create new meaning for themselves, one which will justify the value of their existence, not just to us, but to themselves as well.

Tadeusz Kantor said, ‘The object exists between eternity and the rubbish heap.’ It is in that space, suspended between destruction and immortality, that Zagórska-Thomas’s objects fight with her for control of their own destiny.

Christopher Reid