Otolith Group

An otolith is one of the calcium carbonate microcrystals within the inner ear of some vertebrates that sense motion and support balance. Kodwo Eshun and Anjalika Sagar appropriated this obscure word as the name for their UK-based art collective, founded in 2002. The Otolith Group’s work pushes the boundaries of the moving image, transforming films into essays, “aural and sonic investigations” and science fiction experiments. Defying the traditional logic of time and space, The Radiant (2012), which premiered at dOCUMENTA (13), investigates the destructive powers of nuclear energy—from the initial promise of clean energy to the destruction of villages by radiation contamination, as seen following the 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan. In addition to their research-based projects, the Otolith Group has curated a number of exhibitions worldwide, including A Lure Apart Allure Apart (2011) at the Bétonsalon in Paris and Westfailure (2012) at Project 88 in Mumbai, and has organized international conferences, workshops and lectures. In 2010, the Otolith Group became the first collective to be nominated for the Turner Prize for their work on the Otolith trilogy.

Founded in 2002 in London, England