Wayne McGregor’s experimental and investigative work is often seen through live dance works on the stage. Less so in an exhibition.
Presented this winter at Somerset House in London, the landmark exhibition Infinite Bodies opened at the end of October and runs through to 22 February 2026. It celebrates three decades of the polymath practice of the visionary choreographer, Sir Wayne McGregor CBE.
In his introduction prior to the exhibition opening, McGregor asks if anyone has ever thought about their back-space… the space behind you! It is very insightful to discover where his ideas and thought process stem from.
“This notion of physical intelligence is around; how is it that we can prime audience’s attention to think differently about their own bodies, which in turn I think will help you watch dance differently and enjoy dance differently.”
– Sir Wayne McGregor CBE
McGregor states he is not a believer that technology will replace physicality but is looking more at how technology – referencing devices that nearly every person in the room is holding – is an extension of our bodies. “As we move forward into the future, technology is going to become even more embedded in our environments and it’s going to require us to be even more embedded in our own bodies to interact with it,” he says.
Infinite Bodies at Somerset House
Already armed with thought-provoking information, we enter the exhibition, and I follow my initial reaction to stand still and absorb the multi-sensory surroundings. Displays and experiences, as well as soundtracks, are drawn from and inspired by many of McGregor’s stage works including Deepstaria (2024) during which the score is constantly recomposed and re-performed by Bronze AI – a digital audio engine that allows recorded music to become a unique and evolving live experience.
The exhibition space is transformed by low and atmospheric lighting. Slow and quiet movement of machinery and a mesmeric background hum wherever you go, giving the whole exhibition an other-worldly vibe. Is it intoxicating, or is it uncomfortable? Many thoughts and feelings emerge as we move around the artistically arranged displays and discover more.
I pause and watch two dancers from Company Wayne McGregor dancing with a movement-responsive light box between them. It is like a living museum and quite a surreal experience having dancers in very close proximity interacting with the technology.
These live experiences are said to happen at regular and unannounced times throughout the exhibition’s run which gives quite an exciting sense of anticipation. And there is also the opportunity to try yourself, which some did a little tentatively at first. Confidence will surely grow as the run continues.
Questions are continually asked on the many information boards around the gallery, such as:
In an age in which we may soon live our lives as much in virtual spaces as in physical ones, how far do we recognise our physically intelligent human experience in the bodies of virtual beings?
No One is an Island is a large kinetic robotic sculpture that moves back and forth along train-like tracks and experiments with the minimal amount of information needed for an animated form to be recognised as human. Again, I am fortunate to witness live dancers interact with this sculpture.
It explores our capacity to feel an instinctive empathy with machines.
Whatever your opinion might be before entering, this fabulously interactive exhibition is well worth a visit for all ages, where you can spend a short or a long time observing, reading, and getting involved with the technology as the world we live in advances at a very fast pace! There are also numerous workshops, including family events, available to book.
Towards the end, I watched for some time a very large kinetic sculpture designed by Cullen Williams; A Body For AI, in conjunction with Wayne McGregor, displayed a fusion of artificial and human movement.
I left with the hypnotic hum reverberating through my body and a sense of calm mixed with swirling thoughts!
Featured Photo of an installation view of Wayne McGregor Infinite Bodies at Somerset House. Photo by Ravi Deepres.
