In The Undercurrent, British artist Rory Pilgrim gives voice to a generation navigating adolescence amid a climate of global uncertainty. The film captures personal narratives shaped by the climate crisis and social inequality – stories of confusion, longing, and searching for direction.
Shot in Boise, Idaho, and born from workshops with young climate activists, the film weaves intimate stories with metaphor-rich imagery. From a boy zooming into a digital photo of a plant while surrounded by nature to a girl pretending to drive a rusted car, Pilgrim explores alienation, aspiration, and the paradoxes of modern life.
The Undercurrent places the instability of adolescence side by side with the instability of our planet. Through poetic visuals and a specially composed soundtrack, Pilgrim conveys the emotional undercurrents of a generation coming of age during crisis – and dares to imagine care, connection, and collective hope as paths forward.
About the Artist
Rory Pilgrim (b. 1988, Bristol) works across film, music, drawing, and performance to explore themes of care, climate, and justice. He studied at Chelsea College of Art and Design in London and at De Ateliers in Amsterdam, and has exhibited internationally, including at the Van Abbemuseum, Serpentine Galleries, and Biennale de Lyon. A recipient of the Prix de Rome (2019) and Turner Prize nominee (2023), Pilgrim frequently collaborates with youth, activists, and people with disabilities.
Exhibition
June 18 – July 9, 2025
Studiengalerie 1.357, IG Farben-Haus, Westend Campus
Film: “The Undercurrent” (2019/ongoing, HD, 50 min)
Opening: 18 June, 8:00 PM
Artist Talk
Rory Pilgrim in conversation
July 1, 2025, 7:00 PM
Städelschule, Dürerstraße 10, Frankfurt
Visit Studiengalerie 1.357
Semester Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 12–5 PM
Free admission
Norbert-Wollheim-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt
Founded in 2010, Studiengalerie 1.357 is a teaching and learning space of Goethe University’s Research Center for the Humanities. It engages students and the public with socially relevant art by internationally recognized artists. studiengalerie.uni-frankfurt.de
