In her second solo exhibition at SETAREH, Escapism - My Body Is a Bridge, Maike Illies delves deeply into the complexities of the human form and the surreal landscapes that emerge from our most profound inner states. The exhibition is a visual narrative of escapism, exploring how we seek to distance ourselves from overpowering realities. The body, in all its corporeality and vulnerability, becomes both the subject and the metaphor. “The body is a bridge,” Illies asserts, linking the inner world of dreams, feelings, and memories to the external, concrete experiences of the self. In these works, parts of the figure—eyes, hands, organs—serve as both origins and destinations for the viewer’s gaze, grounding the abstract in the tangible, and inviting reflection on the ways we inhabit and transcend our physical forms.

Illies’ work celebrates the full spectrum of human experience—especially those aspects often dismissed or ignored. In pieces like Ausbruch, the eruption of blood-like lava becomes a powerful metaphor for the release of pent-up energy, suggesting that catharsis is not only necessary but ultimately liberating. These outbursts, intense and raw, offer a moment of freedom, signalling that what is often hidden or suppressed within must be allowed to surface in order to heal. In Feuerkorb, she opens her ribcage, revealing her inner workings—an act that exposes the deep forces at play. Rather than simply a release, this gesture also symbolises a process of drawing from these internal states, channeling them into energy that fuels personal transformation, turning vulnerability into strength.