Tacita Dean: Trial of the Finger

Marian Goodman Gallery Los Angeles is pleased to present Trial of the Finger, an exhibition of new and recent works by Tacita Dean. Alongside two recent 35mm film installations, Paradise (2021) and Geography Biography (2023), Dean will show a new 16mm film, Sidney Felsen decorates an Envelope (2026), new chalk and slate drawings as well as Polaroid works and works on glass. The title of the exhibition comes from a criticism made by the English writer Dr. Samuel Johnson about the 17th century Metaphysical poets. He saw them as counting syllables ('trial of the finger') in their poetry on account of their abundant use of conceits rather than relying on a poem's musicality to the ear. There are many visual references in this exhibition to both the finger, and indeed to ears, but the title also refers to how Dean manufactures her drawings, most particularly the new slate drawings in this exhibition. Dean's work has always valued the analog, not only in terms of medium, but also in how we still mediate with the world. We still measure, weigh and describe in relation to the human body: units of twelve derive from an ancient finger counting system and we measure in feet and inches (in many languages the word 'inch' derives from the same word for thumb) and poets rhyme in pentameters.