Unexpected Permutation

Khoso explores a combination of bodily feeling and the philosophy in Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble (1990). In this text, Butler describes gender as a set of repeated behaviours in an attempt to approximate oneself to a socially constructed category. Khoso explores the moments where these behaviours are not performed perfectly, rendering the moment where one loses the social category and just is. There is a sense that this moment is joyful and liberating.

The re-established patterned experience of gender identity is morphed into something of curious joy. In the words of Butler, “Genders can be neither true nor false, neither real nor apparent, neither original nor derived.

Liyaan Khoso 

Liyaan Khoso grew up across Africa, The Middle East, South Asia, and Southern Europe. She went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics in the UK, experiencing the combined momentous societal changes in the country brought on by the COVID19 pandemic and Brexit. This diverse exposure and set of experiences led to the compounding of Khoso’s political positions of radical acceptance, communal restoration, and an understanding of mental health issues as structural rather than personal. Khoso has been featured in group exhibitions across London and has been published in a few zines around the UK. She currently works in social research, aiming to one day enact structural changes at the policy-level.

Khoso’s art style focuses on surreal figurative painting. Through the artist's bizarre colourful representations of reality, with spontaneous brush strokes and pattern, one falls into the imaginary. The abstract concepts in Khoso’s work involve the freedom of identity and the foundational constructions of self. Identity conceived of as the boundaries to an indeterminate energy, where they are a continuous process of movement and self creation.

Related to this, is the depiction of mental health and how this can affect the boundaries one sets as identity. The premises that we learn as children affect us across our lives is a core theme to Khoso's work. Their art recognises a constant critical questioning and amending of these core premises in order to shape more positive perceptions and realities for individuals. Khoso believes that when one becomes an active agent in their belief system, it can eventually change a whole community for the better: change begins at a micro-level, not the macro.  

Based on our agreement with the artist, 15% of the pre-VAT price excluding frames will be donated to support the social movement. Donations will be given to Strong Minds.