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THE WAYS OF THE UNDERWORLD ARE PERFECT: TAU LEWIS AT SADIE COLES HQ

Masks don’t conceal here; instead, they display a spiritual inner self. In Tau LewisThe ways of the underworld are perfect at Sadie Coles HQ, six masks and one statue unveil elements of spiritual rebirth, inspired by Venus going retrograde. 


Installation shots courtesy Sadie Coles HQ/Katie Morrison


Lewis mixes textures and tones in her latest exhibition, displaying five large masks and one upper body statue. Each piece can only be described as cacophony; chaotic mixes of fabrics, buttons and ribbons which come together with surprising rhythm. In ‘The joy of wild beasts’, Lewis creates eyelashes out of tassels, and adds reflectivity in the use of occasional holographic fabric.


The exhibition’s mythical inspirations lend it a sense of mystery, with each mask representing a part of the deity Inanna’s story, described by Sadie Coles HQ as “an allegory for the human experience of descending into the underworld, undergoing rebirth and subsequent transformative potential of retrograde”. The sense of transformation is present in the visible stitching and loose threads, a reminder to the audience of the material journey the fabric scraps have undergone.


From left to right: Tau Lewis, The joy of wild beasts, 2025,,Lunar infants and trembling reeds, 2025,Angels covering the horizon like a garment, 2025


While each piece has a mythical inspiration, the creation process is grounded in the natural. The bright pink and purple pigments that highlight Earth remembers! (2025) and The joy of wild beasts (2025) are natural extractions from beetroot and hibiscus. Similarly, the yellows of Angels covering the horizon like a garment (2025) and Venus in Pisces (2025) come from turmeric stains. The ways of the underworld are perfect (2025) establishes dual roots in the mythology of Lewis’ retrograded Venus, and the earthly nature of the natural pigments. 


Installation shots courtesy Sadie Coles HQ/Katie Morrison


Venus in Pisces is the only piece in the exhibition that isn’t a mask. It is a yellow statue, made with the same blending of fabrics and haberdashery that is present in the other pieces. The loose threads hanging down from the bottom of the statue, and visible stitching across the piece, keeps the creative process in the forefront of the audience’s minds. Unlike her other pieces, she includes one element which completely diverts from the world of sewing: a metal necklace. The leaf-shaped necklace lays central between leather breasts, holding most of the attention. Is it a charm? Is it a mythological symbol? Is it simply a necklace? In Lewis’ world, it is difficult to be sure. 


Installation shots courtesy Sadie Coles HQ/Katie Morrison


Tau Lewis is unafraid of chaos, of misunderstanding, and of mystery. Her creations exist in an entirely separate world of mythology and wonder, where external interpretation holds no influence. Walking through The ways of the underworld are perfect feels like stepping into another world, where nature and legend collide in perfect disarray. 


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