With City of Chimeras, the Russian art collective AES+F extends its conceptual exploration of Inverso Mundus (World upside down), delving deeper into the symbolic and cultural implications of the chimera. Historically, the chimera has been associated with hybridity and monstrosity, a creature composed of disparate animal forms that, in classical mythology, signified both physical threat and metaphysical transgression. Over time, this image has evolved from a representation of chaos and danger to a broader metaphor for illusion, unattainable aspirations, and the instability of identity. AES+F’s latest series reinterprets this mythological being not as an object of fear, but as a familiar and even endearing presence—an approach that challenges traditional conceptions of beauty, normality, and the aesthetic integration of the monstrous into the everyday.

Curator: Michela Sena

Opening reception: 20th Feb, 6pm

Gallery address: 10/F, H Queen's, Central