Physical Culture turns the gym into a gallery, inviting visitors to lift sculptural weights instead of metal plates. At Nottingham Contemporary, fully functional fitness machines are loaded with Jesmonite forms that look like abstract art objects, blurring the line between workout and exhibition.

The show marks Augustus Serapinas’ first institutional solo show in England. He argues that the rituals of training are as much cultural performance as any artistic practice, and the pieces ask us to reconsider how bodies are shaped by both discipline and perception.

Collaborators from Nottingham Trent University and local fitness coaches helped fabricate the pieces, turning standard equipment into bespoke sculptures. Even the “hurdles” echo historic portrait heads, linking contemporary body culture to centuries of artistic representation.

One‑to‑one instructors are on hand to guide participants of all abilities, emphasizing the exhibition’s commitment to accessibility. Visitors report a surprising shift in perspective, noting how the uneven weight of the sculptural plates makes each rep feel like a performance.

Since opening in 2009, Nottingham Contemporary has welcomed millions, and this timely intervention adds a kinetic layer to its program, inviting the public to sweat, think, and see the body as both subject and medium.

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