Monsters are often described as horrifying: creatures that signify dread and fear. Derived from the Latin word, monstrum, in itself means to remind, to warn, to foretell --- the idea of encountering a large frightening beast is unimaginable and petrifying. However, the kind of horror that occupies our everyday lives is often unseen and indiscernible. It goes beyond the physical fear and looms over our minds. In this exhibition, seven artists illustrate the invisible monsters residing among us; images that interrogate us to think about the things that frighten us.

“Invisible Monster” portrays the many ways we are disconcerted mainly with thoughts of death, disintegration, losing vigor and control, and becoming forgotten. Here, we find narratives that compare the trepidation of sudden deaths versus the natural passing of life, and how it can be compared to a howl that echoes throughout the silent ground, disrupting the order of things. Another depiction sustains the fear of succumbing to a mental collapse; losing oneself over thoughts, and a realization that the enemy inhabits your body against your will.

However, the exhibition also shows how the physical body becomes a source of another pre-occupation, which is the fear of losing its strength. Our corporal existence only becomes meaningful when we muster the ability and courage to do the things we want with our body. Health issues could take a toll and would frighten even the best of us to become obsessed with immortality. And so, the idea of a fading memory and a legacy can become terrifying.

But what is more startling than the notion of another human being taking someone else’s life? “Invisible Monster” also looks at the current events and the violence that surrounds us. What we fear more than anything else is the injustice from people who have decided to have their claim at monstrosity. How we use these images to reinforce ourselves will be a task for the undefeated.

-Gwen Bautista