Goldsmiths Degree Show 2023
Here are 9 emerging artists whose work caught my eye and kept my attention at the recent degree show.
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2 = Sidney Westenskow @sidneywesten__ — an artist that understands the meaning of ‘go big or go home’. I suspect this is one childhood keepsake mum won’t be so keen to keep in the family home.
3-4 = Zully Mejía @zullymgmejia — a beautifully executed room, as stark and isolating as the emotions that inspired the art. The jacket was the artist mother’s. They posted it back and forth to each other between London and Peru, using it as the canvas for their letters.
5 = Zixin Yan @zixin_yyan — A good example of how to shock while being mostly understated. Many of the details are subtle, provided by colours and patterns that reinforce the cultural themes playing out on the video screens (not seen in photo).
6-7 = Afonso Guimarães @afonsoguimaraesart — Technically this was more archaeology than art, but I got seriously distracted questioning whether all the odd items really were pulled from London waterways.
8-10 = Paul Stephenson @pochoir — old paintings re-skinned to look like they’re behind highly reflective glass. Except you, the viewer, are invisible.
11 = Yu Chen Chen @worchen — I almost walked right past, but the “skidmark” trails really made the degraded vehicles stand out.
12-14 = Yui Fu @fuyui970815 — By the time I got to this room, three buildings in, I was in need of a rest. I found the cool greens and hyper realistic fish to be incredibly calming.
15 = Emma Siân Davies (IG unknown) — It wasn’t much more than a subtitled rant, the kind you get from a friend when you’re having aimless chats, but I watched for a few minutes and walked away amused.
16-17 = Xu Xinyu @xinyuiris — the red room drew me in, but the quirky live action / animation on the screen kept me in there.
🖼️ Want more art? Visit the What’s On page to see a list of recommended shows, sorted by closing date. Don’t miss ‘em!