This August Unit presents twelve new artworks from Glasgow-based, Spanish-born artist Gori Mora. Burning Desires invites viewers into a nocturnal world that celebrates queer identity and belonging. Mora’s works are set predominantly at night, a new thematic angle for the artist, enriched with celestial motifs such as constellations. For Mora, the night is a time of transformation and sanctuary, a private realm where queer individuals have historically found solace. Drawing inspiration from surrealist painter Leonora Carrington and abstract expressionist artist Philip Guston, Mora crafts enigmatic compositions that evoke curiosity and introspection.

The exhibition includes cosy interiors and outdoor scenes, often with multiple viewpoints, anchoring the concept of ‘safe space’ as its central theme. Starry night skies symbolise love and passion, also invoking the artist’s newfound interest in mystical symbols like the moon and constellations. The artist explained that he found the idea of mystique and magic important for this project, relating it to the ‘Queer hunt.’

Mora’s process is highly unique: the artist paints on the reverse of perspex sheets and, without the option of overpainting, carefully plans his compositions in advance. Enclosed within frame and perspex, the works are themselves a kind of safe space, allowing him to “preserve the subjects and encapsulate them into this magical atmosphere.” Reflected on the surface of the works, viewers can project themselves into these scenes, invited to share in the intimacy of this shared space for a time.

Recurring motifs, such as white underwear, gold earrings, and mirrors create a ‘visual vocabulary’ across Mora’s work, each object imbued with personal and multifaceted meanings. This approach is influenced by Guston’s symbolic use of simple shapes and objects, which convey deeper narratives and emotions. The exhibition culminates in Union, an underwater scene depicting an embracing couple amid marine life. This serene underwater realm provides a foil to the domestic and cabaret spaces in other works, offering a tranquil refuge from societal pressures.