You Seem The Same As Always

In 1966 Yvonne Rainer made her first film, ‘Hand Movie’, while her body was confined to a hospital bed and unable to dance. She used only her right hand, each finger itself a performer moving gracefully. Since then a number of artists have captured the moving hand on camera and the impressions of fingers on paper. This exhibition showcases works ranging from Richard Serra’s films in the 1960s and Gabriel Orozco’s sculptures in the 1990s, to Hans-Peter Feldmann’s reproductions of the hand prints psychologist Charlotte Wolff’s made of well-known artists and poets in the 1930s to investigate the diagnostic significance of the hand.

Recent works inspired by the artist’s hand include Claire Barclay’s delicate watercolours on paper, Olafur Eliasson’s machine-like hand factory, the unsettling come-hither movements of Douglas Gordon’s own hand, and David Shrigley’s wall drawing. Perhaps most beautiful of all is Kate Davis’ film entitled ‘You seem the same as always’ which mimics the deft hands of a ceramicist moulding a lump of clay.

If the concept of the show is deceptively simple, its execution is reassuringly charming.

The Common Guild, Glasgow, until Sat 30 Jul