AUB MA Fine Art student explores physicality and connection in new exhibition

Running from Wednesday 21 to Wednesday 28 October 2026 at The BUG Gallery in AUB’s South House, the exhibition delves into the themes of physical presence, contact and shared human existence.

The showcase centres around three-dimensional imprints created by casting the body's shape in soaked paper as it dries. Laura then re-touches the delicate paper forms using graphite powder, activating a tactile secondary encounter between the artist and the medium.

Her broader practice spans drawing, sculpture, site-specific 3D installation, video and performance.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the showcase, artist Laura Bell comments: “In Touching Edges, embodied presence is transformed and preserved in soaked paper to capture a moment of contact or connection.

“By re-touching these imprints with graphite powder and amplifying the sound of contact in real time, the performance invites the audience into a slow journey of exploration. It is an invitation to become aware of our edges and to see how crossing these boundaries through attention allows us to fully inhabit a shared existence.”

As part of the exhibition, audience members are invited to witness live performance sessions in MA Studio F101, where Laura will draw directly on the original imprints. The sound of contact between graphite and paper will be amplified live, creating a deeply sensory, immersive environment.

Dr Fran Norton, Course Leader for MA Fine Art at AUB, adds: “Laura’s work offers a captivating exploration of touch, memory, and presence. By amplifying the subtle auditory and visual interactions between artist and material, Touching Edges invites us to reflect on our own boundaries and shared experiences.

“We are thrilled to see her multi-disciplinary practice take shape in such an engaging performance and exhibition space at AUB.”