Dopamine, Duo Exhibition with Ana Barriga and Axel Void

Void Projects presents Dopamine, a dual exhibition with visiting artist in residence Ana Barriga and Axel Void. Through a series of new collaborative works, the artists explore the role of Dopamine; its effects on our biochemistry and how this translates to our perception of the world.  

Dopamine is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter and is a key molecule in how we navigate our everyday lives. Responsible for our attention, perception and emotional responses; the pleasure of Dopamine thrives in pursuit of reward or expectation. However, once we reach our goals, we stop feeling its effects and again, crave the sensation. Doperminergic activity is stimulated by our passions and interests, with specific levels being unique to our biological makeup. Too little dopamine can send us into spiralling depression, too much can cause a break with reality or psychosis. A little googling even points to methods of increasing dopemineragic activity, they include caffeine, drugs, eating certain supplements or foods 

The drug of the future, Dopamine is always looking ahead but dissipating in the moment. From an evolutionary perspective it stimulates our survival instincts, motivating us to search out food or shelter. In modern times, we divert our dopamine activity away from survival and towards imagination and growth   

Through the minds of creative people, dopamine enables poetic associations to simple, even absurd things. Ana and Axel explore this relationship from a shared interest in subject and philosophy, with their collaborative work serving as a more existential and sociological analogy. The results are visually conflicting and wrestle between play and discord, light and dark. One example shows shows an abandoned building in Andalusia, a city close to both artists. The windows have been bricked up and a football goal is on the wall painted by local children. Despite the neglect, construction of real estate continues, distracted development fulfils an internal ambition to expand and grow rather than a meaningful contribution to society 

Dopamine seeks to question the absurdity of the cycle we perpetuate in doing more and achieving less. Beyond survival instincts, dopamine arguably now fuels futility, frivolity and excess

Dopamine is a 4 day event hosted by Void Projects Miami space, run in association with Mana Contemporary and Juxtapoz Magazine