TWISTS of roots and leaves wrap and curl in on themselves in a suffocating, choking pattern, closing in on a ghostly figure shielding her face with her hands. The leaves are like branches drawing the figure into the black abyss below.
The work, Perpetual Inbetweenness, is a rich, layered tapestry exploring the nuances and complexities of anxiety and forms part of Breanna Gordon’s first solo exhibition, Introspect, on show at Tache.
Breanna Gordon. Photograph: Paige Thompson | Courtesy of Tache gallery
When Breanna created Perpetual Inbetweenness, she was in a state of derealisation, a dissociative experience in which the world feels foggy and distant. “I was not able to differentiate reality from this dream-like world, and I felt like I was in a liminal space,” she explains.
“Derealisation is where you feel nothing around you is real, and it feels like you’re dreaming; your hands are not your hands. It kind of feels like you’re watching yourself from an outsider’s perspective. You’re aware that you are you, but something is so wrong,” she continues.
This sense of separation is palpable in the work: the colours are muted with a sinister tint, the figure appears suspended between floating and falling, and the flowers and vines in the background are unsettling, almost hypnotic. “The repetition of patterns in my work is the repetition of anxious thoughts because anxiety is exactly that,” Breanna explains.
That’s Tea Breanna Gordon | 2025
The repeating pattern is reminiscent of a William Morris design. “I referenced William Morris and treated Perpetual Inbetweenness as a tapestry, which is historically a craft, because I wanted to pay homage to him,” says Breanna. A pioneer of the Arts & Crafts movement, Morris created nature-inspired patterns and advocated for handmade production over the mass industrialisation that took hold during the Victorian era.
“William Morris essentially believed that true happiness is achieved through making things by hand, and I agree with that in my art practice, as it’s therapeutic. So while he was saying it in a very political way, I have been applying my own meaning to it,” Breanna explains.
As part of her patterned series, Perpetual Inbetweenness sits in conversation with Breanna’s ‘darker works’ within the exhibition. Having previously seen her strands of work as separate entities, preparing for her first solo exhibition has allowed Breanna to recognise the connections that underpin her artistic practice. “I’ve hit a turning point where the masterpiece can be the body of work and it can feel whole and dynamic. The theme of mental health, anxiety, introspection, and an understanding of the self and the world comes through in all my works,” Breanna explains.
Lucky Girl Breanna Gordon | 2024
Drawing Circles Casting Shadows Breanna Gordon | 2025
Breanna’s darker still-life works draw on the Pre-Raphaelite and Baroque movements. Placed in dark, vacant spaces, a candle, porcelain doll, or milk jug, depicted with Baroque-like realism and dramatic, theatrical lighting, is given a new, unlikely meaning. The drama of the works emerges from the depiction of the moment just before the climax – the anticipatory pause – another hallmark of the Baroque movement. “There’s this kind of weird stillness or little hints at what’s going to happen next, which contribute to this overall feeling of underlying anxiety or uncertainty,” she explains.
Words are also a recurring motif in Breanna’s work. “There’s a lot of manipulating language to create this sense of ambiguity,” she says. Writing phrases in her journal, Breanna uses these as inspiration for her works, decontextualising them in the process. These snippets, taken from text messages, social media, or overheard conversations, also inform Breanna’s poetry, which she has collated for the first time in a zine accompanying the exhibition.
Handle With Care Breanna Gordon | 2025
“You would think a self-portrait or a nude would be more vulnerable, but there’s something about written language that’s very intimidating. The act of writing poetry is uncomfortable because it’s addressing parts of myself that are disturbing, but that’s part of why people make art or write,” Breanna explains.
Alongside the zine and paintings, Breanna is creating her first interactive installation, Put a Bow on It, inviting viewers to self-reflect and share personal thoughts in writing, which will then inform future works. “There’s so much value in having an interactive exhibition that builds community and brings people together, especially when you’re speaking about mental health,” Breanna explains, having previously focused solely on painting.
Eyes Are Burning Breanna Gordon | 2025
The thread weaving through Breanna’s repeat patterns, dramatic still life’s, and portraits is the advocacy of art as a tool for healing. “I see Introspect as a culmination of my personal experience, a navigation of my mental health journey and my anxiety,” she concludes. Introspect, Breanna Gordon’s debut solo exhibition, will be on show at Tache from 6 March to 9 April 2026.
by Sadie Pitcher
Tache Gallery, 33 Percy St, London W1T 2DF