Helen Marten's solo exhibition at Sadie Coles HQ presents This Weather as a single-channel video installation. The approximately thirty-three-minute film is projected onto the gallery's back wall and framed by four large speakers positioned between the work and a central viewing bench, creating an immersive environment that encourages viewers to spend time with the work.
The film is divided into five chapters, each corresponding to a different stage of life, from youth through to older age. Paired with five distinct monologues, the chapters explore the cyclical nature of human existence. Although the work reflects different stages of life, it did not feel entirely linear. Instead, it encouraged personal reflection, allowing viewers to consider both their own lived experiences and what may still lie ahead.
While each chapter is voiced by a different female metaphorical representative, a continuous melodic sound runs throughout the work, creating a sense of continuity between each stage of life. In the earlier chapters, I felt the relationship between voice and melody worked harmoniously, allowing both elements to complement one another. However, as the screening progressed, I found myself becoming increasingly drawn to the music and visual environments, with the monologues gradually becoming less central to my experience.
Helen Marten. Courtesy the Artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London. Photo: Katie Morrison (2026)
The exhibition notes explain that This Weather was "originally conceived as part of Helen Marten's opera-performance 30 Blizzards in 2025" before being "restaged here as a singular work" (Sadie Coles HQ, 2026). Reading this afterwards offered an interesting perspective on my experience, as it suggested that the chapters may originally have been intended to exist with moments of separation or transition, rather than being viewed as one continuous film.
Helen Marten. Courtesy the Artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London. Photo: Katie Morrison (2026)
One of the aspects I appreciated most was Marten's ability to construct distinct environments to metaphorically represent each stage of life. The sets create immersive worlds that invite interpretation. This openness to interpretation also allows each viewer to bring their own experiences to the work, making This Weather feel like an invitation to reflect on the many different ways we experience life's chapters.
This Weather is on view at Sadie Coles HQ from 27 May - 12 September 2026 For those interested in experiencing the exhibition or learning more about Helen Marten's practice, further information can be found on Sadie Coles HQ's website.