Naomi Rincón Gallardo presents her first solo exhibition in London, 'Sonnet of Vermin,' at the Hayward Gallery. The show features her 2022 film following a group of animals from Mesoamerican myths—Bat, Snake, Scorpion, and a choir of frogs—as they navigate dystopian landscapes in Oaxaca, communicating via radio signals and calling for solidarity amid social and ecological devastation. Rincón Gallardo works across video, performance, drawing, and sculpture, weaving cuir/queer resistance, pre-colonial folklore, DIY aesthetics, music, and dance into surreal narratives that critique colonialism and exploitation.
The exhibition matters because it brings a decolonial, queer perspective to a major London institution, highlighting how contemporary art can address ongoing colonial legacies through myth and speculative fiction. Rincón Gallardo's inclusion in prestigious biennials—Venice, São Paulo, Berlin—and now a solo show at Hayward Gallery signals growing institutional recognition for artists who merge research-driven practice with community-oriented, counter-world building. The show also underscores Hayward Gallery's commitment to presenting bold, politically engaged visual art.