Inquiry

Where do our desires come from, and where do they lead? How to reckon with desires that cause harm to ourselves, to others, or to the planet? Desire is often a complex, imperfect, and shape-shifting feeling that can’t be disentangled from social structures and norms. While desire is closely linked to love and sexuality, it also includes broader notions of what we want from ourselves, others, and our surroundings. As the curators of GUT_BRAIN 1 identify, some desires are undoubtedly destructive, and they often lead to excess: desire manifests as a horizon rather than an endpoint. In the following projects and contributions, artists and writers reckon with the messy politics of desire, including its deep roots in modernity, colonialism, capitalism, toxic masculinity, and white supremacy.