From 2nd to 5th March, Indra Gallery in London hosted NEITHER / NOR: The Intimate Geography of Contradictions, a group exhibition organised by the Centre for Arts, Research and Culture (CARC) in collaboration with the Nina Miller Collection. Curated by Michaëla Hadji-Minaglou and Alina Khalitova, the project brought together works from a historical collection with those of emerging contemporary artists.
CARC’s programmes frequently focus on research-oriented initiatives and international artistic exchange. In this exhibition, the organisation continued its approach of creating encounters between different generations of artists, placing contemporary practices alongside works that already occupy an established position within art history.
A selection of lithographs by German artist Paul Wunderlich served as the historical foundation of the exhibition. Wunderlich, active during the second half of the twentieth century, developed a distinctive visual language combining figurative imagery with psychological intensity and symbolic motifs. His works provided a point of reference within the exhibition, introducing a visual vocabulary that would resonate with the contemporary works placed around them.
Alongside these prints, paintings by artist Aline Gaiad contributed an additional layer to the exhibition’s narrative. Gaiad’s works, often combining figurative and surreal elements, introduced imagery that seemed to oscillate between familiarity and dreamlike transformation. This combination of historical graphic works and contemporary painting established the framework within which the exhibition unfolded.
The curatorial concept centred on the notion of contradiction as a productive force within artistic practice. Rather than presenting opposites as mutually exclusive, the exhibition explored how artistic languages can occupy intermediate positions between categories such as abstraction and figuration, visibility and concealment.
Several of the contemporary artists approached these questions through investigations of form and material.
Through this combination of historical and contemporary works, NEITHER / NOR proposed an exhibition structure built on relationships rather than categories. Instead of presenting a linear narrative, the curators arranged the works in a way that encouraged viewers to move back and forth between them, discovering connections across different artistic approaches.
For CARC, the project represents another step in its ongoing effort to create platforms where emerging artists can be presented alongside historically significant works, generating new perspectives on both.
List of artists: Paul Wunderlich, Aline Gaiad, Aksinia Kupriianova, Elena Magerramova, Lola Alimova, Valeriy Iakovlev, Varvara Dmitrieva, Viktoria Sokolova and Zibeyda Seyidova.
Indra Gallery
Indra Gallery is a hybrid art space located at 20 East Road, Old Street, London, working across multiple artistic models including fine art, contemporary art, pop art, digital art, sculpture and mixed media. The gallery seeks to push the boundaries of artistic perception by creating immersive exhibitions and cultural programmes that explore how art connects different experiences and audiences. Its activities extend beyond exhibitions to include installations, workshops, film screenings, fashion events and public discussions, forming a multidisciplinary platform where art, fashion and culture intersect.
Centre for Arts, Research and Culture (CARC)
The Centre for Arts, Research and Culture (CARC) is an independent platform dedicated to supporting artistic research and practice while encouraging collaboration between artists, researchers and cultural institutions. Through exhibitions, public programmes and research fellowships developed with universities and partner organisations, CARC positions artistic practice as a form of long-term inquiry. Its projects often use gallery spaces as sites for experimentation and dialogue, while its research programme brings together new ideas, publications and events that connect artistic practice with broader interdisciplinary research.
