Hamann’s work tests our attention and perception. Much of Did you spot the Gorilla? was developed in response to work of Department of Experimental Psychology neuroscientist Kia Nobre with whom she shares a curiosity about how our memories and expectations shape what we see.
The exhibition puts space-related perception in counterpoint to Hamann’s immersive panoramic film-strips and, on another scale, artist’s books and a multiple. She explores how experimental treatment, physical handling and viewing of images playfully test and shift perception of ourselves relating to others. A series of large freestanding paper cylinders, Seeing Being Seen, showing figures of subjects featured in the other pieces have been placed in a gallery as if they are a gathering of people – the viewer becomes simultaneously part of the group while knowing that they are different from the images presented. In Freshers, a series of 100 photographs of first meetings, we see the visualisation of social interaction amongst students in London, Tokyo and Oxford while Fair’s Fair, explores people looking, meeting and dealing at Frieze Art Fair.