HOLD MY HAND

HOLD MY HAND

Solo Show at Prisma Estudio, Lisbon, Portugal. September 2025

stills (above), film (right) and studio stills (below).

A solo presentation of Rivers' works created at Prisma Estudio, Lisbon across a 2 month residency period. This bizarre visual playground explores the subtle nuances in the way we use our hands and arms to connect with others in a collection of 8 interactive sculptures.

"When I arrived here at first I was struck by the differing and similar degrees in which we all use our arms and hands to indicate the level of closeness we are comfortable with when meeting new people. This fascination continued as I developed closer connections with the people around me. Handshakes turned to hugs, which turned to soft gestures, play and helping hands. My attention was consumed by the ways in which we used our hands to interact, both for good and bad. From the creepy guy in the restaurant who stroked my waist far too intimately as I made my way to the table, to the homeless man who held my hand and wouldn’t let go in the park, to friends holding my face in their hands and dances in the park. Our desire for connection is so often express through touch, and our hands are the first participant. As I experienced the city and began to collect disused objects the works grew, each taking its own shape directly influenced by the abandoned materials I found. These works, a meeting point of connection, intrusion, openness and play. They, like all my works, sit somewhere between comfort and discomfort, fun and unease. They are an invitation to play with those around you and consider how your own life experiences impact your willingness to connect vulnerably with those around you."

featured works:

LULLABYE (wood, chain, fabric, gloves, beans, plaster, and paper mache) 2025

instructions : spin me

THE SEESAW (plastic rubbish, beans, furry material, old mannequin arm, chains, wood, metal pipe, and elastic bands) 2025

instructions : shake hands

DISCO ARM (plaster and broken mirror) 2025

instructions : dance

SLAPPER (fabric, stuffing, and wood) 2025

instructions : turn handle

HANGMAN (wire, metal, wood, glove, and rice) 2025

instructions : pull arm

GLITTERBOMB (balloon, pump, glitter, and plinth) 2025