Drawing inspiration from the writings of Antonin Artaud, Urban Theatre is a new installation by Marcus Nelson, exploring themes of physical performance, violence and the act of spectatorship. Situated in the U-Bahn station at Alt Tempelhof, Nelson uses the harsh urban environment as a backdrop to explore the brutality of life and the bleak structures that encase us, opening a dialogue around our collective voyeurism of other’s pain.

As an extension to his painting practice, papier-mâché is utilised to cast the artist’s body; a medium historically associated with mask making and puppetry. Caught like a caged animal in a submissive position, the installation provides a stage for Nelson’s eerie visions to perform, offering a window for the passersby to watch, or simply ignore.