In the exhibition *Everything Will Be Fine*, Lau Man Pan explores the fear of being seen as an outsider in an unfamiliar country. Through various art forms, the artist raises questions about vulnerability, protection and dealing with differences.

Everything Will Be Fine is a project by Lau Man Pan about the fear of being seen as an outsider in an unfamiliar country. The work explores how societies react to ‘the other’. The other is sometimes treated as an allergen or even a virus: something that must be kept under control, contained or excluded.

For this project, Lau Man Pan brings together various art forms.

What can you see?

A large collage features non-white faces collected from a local newspaper over the course of a year. The faces are combined with drawings and stitched threads. Three drawings depict body parts affected by recurring rashes.

In addition, dozens of cream and ointment containers form an archive of attempts at healing. The containers are decorated with thread and sealed in plastic bags.

A video monologue explores physical and emotional sensitivity. Together, the various elements form a fragmented picture of vulnerability and recovery.

Vulnerability and protection

Using images and materials that evoke feelings of irritation and protection, *Everything Will Be Fine* explores the tension between vulnerability and defence. Where do these reactions come from? Do they really offer protection, or might they actually cause more harm?

In this context, the allergen is used as a metaphor for the way in which a society might view an outsider: as something threatening or contagious, simply because it is unknown.

The exhibition thus raises questions about exclusion and the fear of difference. What happens when that fear leads to a defensive reaction? What is being protected, and from whom?

The work suggests that a solution may not always be feasible, but that learning to deal with differences anew is not without its merits.