WHAT?  Maria Berrio: The End of Ritual   

WHERE?  Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW  

WHEN?  Now until 18th January.  Free to view

WHY GO?  To shake up the status quo.  Ever felt claustrophobic inside a small space perhaps or crushed in a crowd? 

Such aspects of life’s anxieties are translated metaphorically into surreal works of art by Colombian artist Berrio, who is based in Brooklyn, New York.

There are still a few days left to marvel at her mysterious show of provocative large scale artworks that are strangely disconcerting.

Berrio draws on her Columbian heritage of political upheaval and personal travels to create compositions around the rituals of identity and survival.  

These fragmented collage-paintings are painstakingly crafted from layers of Japanese paper, paint and charcoal and feel weirdly fantastical.

Watch her creative process on the gallery’s online video as she silently cuts, pastes and paints.

Nine huge artworks engulf the gallery like theatrical set pieces.  Many combine costumes and masks from her travels to countries like Mexico and Venice where she was deeply inspired by the famous carnival.

They pay tribute to the theatre featuring dancers, clowns and jokers, disembodied and dreamlike. 

It’s a magical mystery tour that determines the carnival is not yet over!

IN THE KNOW Inspired by improvisation, Berrio collaborated with New York’s ground breaking contemporary dance company GALLIM on her latest artworks.  The acclaimed dance company has performed all over the world and are noted for their innovative collaborations with music, film and fashion brands.