Saelia Aparicio: A Joyful Parasite at Baltic
Saelia Aparicio describes her work as “cute and creepy” — and A Joyful Parasite is exactly that.
At first glance, the colours that fill the gallery feel muted and calming, with dimmed lighting and a playful tone. But then you spot the details: a bench made from caterpillar legs, characters wriggling up the walls in a way that reminded me of cheeky pixies, mirrored screens in the shape of butterfly wings, and black sculptures ominously hanging from the ceiling.
It’s the sort of space where your eyes keep looking around, trying to make out every detail and take in all the various textures. The shadows created by the careful placement of both the work and lighting gave the impression that these playful creatures were multiplying before our eyes.
Aparicio plays with the idea of the parasite as something resilient, adaptable, and part of the system we all live in. She talks about a tapeworm “living its best life” inside a human, blissfully unaware of the trouble it’s causing. It’s alive, she says, “because that’s what it’s supposed to do.”
That shift in perspective is what makes this show so fascinating. It’s not about us as humans at the top of the food chain; it’s about coexisting, sharing space, and sometimes being the host.
And the joy? It’s in seeing the whole messy ecosystem — cute, creepy, and utterly alive.
Saelia Aparicio: A Joyful Parasite is on display at the Baltic until 1st February 2026.