A Granule of Stress
17.04 - 17.05 2026
The exhibition A Granule of Stress is a solo exhibition by Sophie-Luise Passow.
A Granule of Stress is the first solo exhibition in Denmark by the Austrian artist. At Cantina, Passow showcases artworks inspired by the biological phenomenon of stress granules. These are structures that form when cells are under strain to protect key components needed for protein production. If the metabolic stress is short-lived, stress granules assemble and dissolve as part of a transient adaptive process. If the stress becomes chronic, however, they can harden and eventually lead to disease. Instead of simply illustrating, these large-format paintings examine and channel the core of the concept through the medium of abstract visual art. Informed by an art—science approach, the series of works invites the viewer to engage with the tension between adaptive and pernicious stress.
There is an accompanying informational booklet exploring the functions of stress granules in the body, written by Dr. Urte Laukaityte, Aarhus University.
The exhibition is kindly supported by Aarhus Municipality.
Installation views — Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen
The exhibition A Granule of Stress is a solo exhibition by Sophie-Luise Passow.
A Granule of Stress is the first solo exhibition in Denmark by the Austrian artist. At Cantina, Passow showcases artworks inspired by the biological phenomenon of stress granules. These are structures that form when cells are under strain to protect key components needed for protein production. If the metabolic stress is short-lived, stress granules assemble and dissolve as part of a transient adaptive process. If the stress becomes chronic, however, they can harden and eventually lead to disease. Instead of simply illustrating, these large-format paintings examine and channel the core of the concept through the medium of abstract visual art. Informed by an art—science approach, the series of works invites the viewer to engage with the tension between adaptive and pernicious stress.
There is an accompanying informational booklet exploring the functions of stress granules in the body, written by Dr. Urte Laukaityte, Aarhus University.
Sophie-Luise Passow
(*1994, Vienna) studied at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria as well as École nationale supérieure d'arts de Paris-Cergy (ENSAPC), France. She is a visual artist, specialising in large-scale abstract paintings that are influenced by and blur the boundaries between multiple disciplines, including drawing, printmaking, textile, and installation. Passow links psychological processes with biological concepts, grounded in ideas of adaptability, flexibility, and resilience.The exhibition is kindly supported by Aarhus Municipality.
Installation views — Jacob Friis-Holm Nielsen
