Susan Hiller, Tate Britain | reviews, news & interviews
Susan Hiller, Tate Britain
Susan Hiller, Tate Britain
Visually seductive work whose meaning leaves a lot to be desired
![](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/mast_image_landscape/public/mastimages/22e0f27f718beb2c1f57cf0e3dece31b.jpg?itok=pu76AU5m)
Susan Hiller describes herself as a curator as well as an artist. She makes work out of objects that she’s collected over the years. She collates information, too, and personal testimonies. These all go toward making works whose primary aim is to question meanings and categories and belief systems. These belief systems are those that are often found on the outer fringes of mainstream norms – or, if you’re put off by the dry language of academe – which Hiller isn’t – the loopy stuff that’s a bit “out there”. Paranormal activity, alien abductions, séances, the healing power of holy water, levitation, auras. All these are dealt with in Hiller’s work.
Susan Hiller describes herself as a curator as well as an artist. She makes work out of objects that she’s collected over the years. She collates information, too, and personal testimonies. These all go toward making works whose primary aim is to question meanings and categories and belief systems. These belief systems are those that are often found on the outer fringes of mainstream norms – or, if you’re put off by the dry language of academe – which Hiller isn’t – the loopy stuff that’s a bit “out there”. Paranormal activity, alien abductions, séances, the healing power of holy water, levitation, auras. All these are dealt with in Hiller’s work.
Share this article
Add comment
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
more Visual arts
![Bill Viola](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Bill%20Viola_0.jpg?itok=OxrG5F3D)
![Sharpening the Saws, 1927, by Oleksandr Bohomazov. Oil on canvas](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/U%20saws.jpg?itok=J1bAOd6U)
![Children’s Game #40: Chivichanas, La Habana, Cuba, 2023 by Francis Alÿs](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Frances%20Chivichanas.jpg?itok=i_Y4i1U4)
![Freedom Hunters, 1977 by Gavin Jantjes, screenprint on paper](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Gavin%20Jantjes%20Freedom%20Hunters%201977%20Screen%20print%20on%20paper%20100%20%C3%97%2070%20cm%20Photo.%20Ann%20Purkis%20Image%20courtesy%20the%20artist%20Gavin%20Jantjes%20%C2%A9%20Gavin%20Jantes%2C%20licensed%20by%20DACS..jpg?itok=oJbrW2XX)
!['Supremely strange wall-mounted objects': part of Laura Aldridge's installation at Jupiter Artland](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/laura%20aldridge%20installation%20view%201%20by%20author%20%282%29small_0.jpg?itok=C8MKlSNg)
![Installation view of Revelations, 2024 by Judy Chicago at Serpentine North](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Chicago%201.jpeg?itok=NChDbymF)
!['The Roll Call', 1874 by Elizabeth Butler](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Now%20Elizabeth%20Butler%2C%20The%20Roll%20Call%2C%201874.jpg?itok=uzso8Rkh)
!['Muse', 1910](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Muse%2C%201910%204R00900_1000x1000_0.jpg?itok=mLF188qF)
![Gabriele Münter Listening (Portrait of Jawlensky), 1909](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Blue%20Gabriele%20Mu%CC%88nter%2C%20Listening%20%28Portrait%20of%20Jawlensky%29%2C%201909.%20Lenbachhaus%20Munich%2C%20Donation%20of%20Gabriele%20Mu%CC%88nter%2C%201957%20%C2%A9%20DACS%202024_0.jpg?itok=s_89ZOza)
!['Max Bill teaching Theory of Forms at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich', 1946, by Ernst Scheidegger](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/07.%20Ernst%20Scheideggersmall.jpg?itok=gw2iAMIl)
![Stephen Giddings playing himself](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/STEPHEN_Control%20Room%20Portrait_Still001_0.jpg?itok=h-nJZ6R5)
![View of the Boulevard du Temple, taken by Louis Daguerre in 1838 in Paris](https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/mastimages/Fantastic%20Machine%20-%20PC%20Louis%20Daguerre.jpg?itok=hg0bFKZH)
Comments
...
...
...
...