Almine Rech is pleased to present No Man is an Island, a group exhibition on view in London from September 1 to 26, 2020.
In 1985 NASA published a book exploring how humans adjusted psychologically and socially to space. 'Living Aloft: Human Requirements for Extended Spaceflight' was the outcome of research to “ease the Earth/space transition”. The book discussed the three broad stages of human reaction to prolonged isolation, confinement, and stress. The first stage is a period of heightened anxiety produced by the perceived dangers in the situation. The second stage involved establishing a day to day routine, peppered with moments of depression. Stage three is a dangerous period of anticipation, leading to “emotional outbursts, aggressiveness, and rowdy behaviour.” All three stages are very familiar to anyone who has made it through the restriction of the COVID lockdown.