Whitechapel Gallery hosts Apprehensions, the first major retrospective exhibition of Hamad Butt, a pioneer of intermedia art. The exhibition showcases Butt’s innovative works that blend art and science, while referencing his Queer and diasporic experiences.
Born in 1962 in Lahore, Pakistan, Hamad Butt moved to East London in 1964 and studied at Goldsmiths’ College. A contemporary and peer of the Young British Artists (YBA) generation, he was known for his “hazardism” art, often involving physical risk.
Butt’s works combined popular culture, science, and social anxieties in conceptually and technically ambitious pieces. Poetic yet provocative, they explored themes such as sexuality, desire, and danger. His key sculptural works include Transmission (1990) and the three-part installation Familiars (1992).
Tragically passing away in 1994 at age 32 due to AIDS-related complications, Butt’s work continues to resonate powerfully with contemporary issues like uncertainty, toxicity, homophobia, and racism.
