Joseph Yaeger's latest exhibition, 'Polygrapher', is a deeply personal and confessional work that delves into the darker corners of the human experience. The show, which marks the artist's first solo exhibition with prestigious London gallery Modern Art, is a sprawling exploration of guilt, shame, and the search for truth.
At its core, 'Polygrapher' is an investigation into the nature of honesty and deception. Yaeger has taken the concept of polygraph testing – a lie detector that measures physiological responses to detect deception – and turned it on himself. The exhibition features a transcript of a fictional polygraph test, in which the artist's answers are presented as a fragmented and often disturbing narrative.
The paintings themselves are like fragments of raw memory, with faces and bodies twisted into impossible contortions. They seem to hold their breaths, frozen in a perpetual state of anxiety. But beneath the surface, Yaeger has left a trail of scars – literally, in the case of his watercolour paintings on gesso canvas, which reveal the layers of paint that have been stripped away.
For Yaeger, art is both a form of confession and a way of dealing with his own anxieties. He works tirelessly ahead of schedule, driven by a sense of unease that only he can articulate. And it's this sense of discomfort that gives 'Polygrapher' its dark intensity – an unflinching examination of the human psyche that is both mesmerizing and terrifying.
In many ways, Yaeger's Catholic upbringing has influenced his work – Clean Windows Kill Birds, in which a woman's face is seen through the screen of a confessional booth, is one of many overtly Catholic paintings he has made. But even this is subverted by the artist's use of watercolour and gesso, which creates a sense of disconnection between the sacred and the profane.
Ultimately, 'Polygrapher' is an exhibition about the search for truth – not in the classical sense, but in the sense that it's a constant and ongoing process. Yaeger's paintings are like fragments of a dream world – disturbing, unsettling, and yet fascinatingly compelling. They invite us to peer into their depths, to confront our own fears and anxieties head-on.
'Polygrapher' is on at Modern Art, 8 Bennet Street, London, from November 15 to January 17.
At its core, 'Polygrapher' is an investigation into the nature of honesty and deception. Yaeger has taken the concept of polygraph testing – a lie detector that measures physiological responses to detect deception – and turned it on himself. The exhibition features a transcript of a fictional polygraph test, in which the artist's answers are presented as a fragmented and often disturbing narrative.
The paintings themselves are like fragments of raw memory, with faces and bodies twisted into impossible contortions. They seem to hold their breaths, frozen in a perpetual state of anxiety. But beneath the surface, Yaeger has left a trail of scars – literally, in the case of his watercolour paintings on gesso canvas, which reveal the layers of paint that have been stripped away.
For Yaeger, art is both a form of confession and a way of dealing with his own anxieties. He works tirelessly ahead of schedule, driven by a sense of unease that only he can articulate. And it's this sense of discomfort that gives 'Polygrapher' its dark intensity – an unflinching examination of the human psyche that is both mesmerizing and terrifying.
In many ways, Yaeger's Catholic upbringing has influenced his work – Clean Windows Kill Birds, in which a woman's face is seen through the screen of a confessional booth, is one of many overtly Catholic paintings he has made. But even this is subverted by the artist's use of watercolour and gesso, which creates a sense of disconnection between the sacred and the profane.
Ultimately, 'Polygrapher' is an exhibition about the search for truth – not in the classical sense, but in the sense that it's a constant and ongoing process. Yaeger's paintings are like fragments of a dream world – disturbing, unsettling, and yet fascinatingly compelling. They invite us to peer into their depths, to confront our own fears and anxieties head-on.
'Polygrapher' is on at Modern Art, 8 Bennet Street, London, from November 15 to January 17.
has anyone been there? I heard their matcha lattes are insane 
but seriously have you tried that new gaming keyboard? it's so quiet and responsive 
perfect for marathon gaming sessions or watching anime all day 
it's like a dark mirror held up to humanity, you know? he's investigating the nature of honesty and deception, and how we all try to hide our true selves behind masks. his paintings are so visceral, like they're gonna jump off the wall and grab u by the throat 
but at the same time, they're super introspective, like he's trying to unravel this thread of guilt and shame that's just too hard to pull loose.
and left these raw, exposed nerves just hanging out there. i mean, yaeger's got this whole confessional vibe going on with some of his other work, but here he's pushing himself to the edge. 'polygrapher' is like an exercise in vulnerability, and honestly, it's kinda beautiful?
Yaeger's artwork is literally like windows into his soul or something, so raw and honest that it's hard to look away... 
but in a good way? I mean, who else could make watercolour look so... raw and emotional? 
His use of polygraph testing as a metaphor for the search for truth is genius, it's like he's holding up this mirror to our own insecurities. I'm definitely gonna have to plan a visit to Modern Art ASAP 
... i love how he uses polygraph testing as a metaphor for honesty & deception, it's like he's holding up a mirror to our own psyche. and the use of watercolour & gesso is genius, it adds this whole other level of vulnerability to the pieces. anyway, if you haven't checked it out yet, you gotta see it, trust me 
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I'm like, totally fascinated by this exhibition 'Polygrapher'. It's so deep and personal, ya know? The way Joseph Yaeger explores the human experience, especially guilt and shame... it's like he's holding up a mirror to our souls or something 
. And those paintings! They're like, fragmented memories or something, all twisted and anxious 
. I love how he uses watercolour and gesso to create these layers of pain and struggle. It's like, you can almost feel the weight of his emotions pouring out onto the canvas 
It's like the show is saying that honesty and deception are two sides of the same coin, and we're all just trying to navigate this messy human experience.
his use of polygraph testing as a metaphor for honesty and deception is so genius 
I mean, who hasn't felt like they're being tested by their own guilt or shame? 
the way he uses watercolour and gesso to create these twisted, fragmented faces... it's like they're screaming on the inside 
this exhibition is like a wild ride of emotions - it's both mesmerizing and terrifying 
and that takes a lot of courage.
. And can we talk about how unsettling it is to see his "scars" on canvas? Like, I get that it's supposed to be some deep exploration of human psychology, but I'm just over here like "girl, your emotions are messy and I'm here for it 
". Anyway, if you're a fan of art that'll make you feel all the feels, then 'Polygrapher' is def worth checking out 
. It's intense, but it's also... cathartic? Like, I'm not saying I'd want to go through all this stuff myself, but at least someone's exploring it, right?
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! The paintings are like, totally disturbing 
️, driven by his own anxiety. And the use of watercolour and gesso on canvas adds this extra layer of depth 
. I think what really stands out about this exhibition is how it feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.