Renzo Martens presented the first work from The Institute for Human Activities, in the Democratic Republic of Congo; 3D-printed, chocolate self-portraits made by Congolese plantation workers. Carlos Bunga premiered an architecturally-scaled site-specific cardboard installation entitled Exodus (2014). Omer Fast’s film Continuity (2012) explores reality and idealism in America’s Afghan War. Sanja Iveković’s images Gen XX and Women’s House (Sunglasses) and her installation The Disobedient (The Revolutionaries) confront fascism and sexism in 20th century Europe. The exhibition also included the UK premiere of Ragnar Kjartansson’s video installation, The Visitors (2013) which looks at the fine line between parody and reality in pop culture. Sharon Lockhart’s film Exit (2008) documents labourers at the Bath Iron Works based in Maine, USA. Renata Lucas shows a new installation of her iconic interactive plywood floor Falha (Failure, 2003 ongoing). Karen Mirza and Brad Butler showed The Unreliable Narrator (2014) and You are the Prime Minister (2014), two new installations using neon, video and text to confront the Mumbai bombings and the role of British privilege in middle-east conflict.

Theaster Gates’ practice includes sculpture, installation, performance and urban interventions that aim to bridge the gap between art and life. He works as an artist, curator, urbanist and facilitator, and his projects attempt to instigate the creation of cultural communities by acting as catalysts for social engagement that leads to political and spatial change. Gates has described his working method as “critique through collaboration” – often with architects, researchers and performers – to create works that stretch the idea of what we usually understand as visual-based practices.