City & Guilds MA Show 2024
One function of an artist is to record and represent human culture and history. But even if you’ve only been casually following the news for the past few years, you’ll have noticed that culture and history are in a bit of a funk. Thankfully the latest crop of MA grads at City & Guilds understand their brief as artists, but even more crucially have decided to do something about the funk by adding one more item to their agenda: fun.
From Nell Mitchell’s laugh-out-loud statements to Andrea Gomis Watson’s jaw-dropping visual reveals, it was a pleasure to encounter so many artists unafraid to be amusing. Humour and light-heartedness in the art world is often assumed to be lacking seriousness, and that’s simply not the case with these works and these artists. They are thinking deeply about what they want you to think, they just don’t want to depress you in the process.
Here’s nine that made me smile:
Afonso Rocha (@afonso.m.rocha) — These “idyllic retro” visuals are filled with so many edgy, odd, irreverent, WTF elements that you probably won’t know what to think, but you won’t be able to look away.
Andrea Gomis Watson (@deadratlove69) — Reminding you that everyone has an inner freak flag hiding inside them.
Annie Wasdell (@annie.wasdell) — Charming tiny cast-glass superheroes, with postcards to match.
Bev Lee (@bevlee_fineart) — Things got really uncomfortable once I noticed these alien squid-like species were all intently staring back at me.
Eva Merendes (@eva_merendes_art) — These plaster coated panels might be the second best apple tablets money can buy.
Harriet Bone (@daer.bone) — Artificially bright, neon purple and green scenes float on the canvas like a hallucinatory vision.
Joshua von Uexkull (@uexkullart) — Like a pair of perfectly painted eyes, these wooden figures appear to follow you around the room as you make your way around them.
Lucy Hutchings (@lucyhutchingsart) — If you can’t see yourself in at least one of the characters in these messy, debauched big-night-out scenes then you did your 20s wrong.
Mils Bridgewater (@mils_bridgewater) — Recycling glass from broken and rejected vases, these delicate specimens are a lot like society: you need to look beyond the rough edges to see the inner beauty shine back at you, in some cases quite literally.
Plan your visit
At City & Guilds from 10-14 September, 2024
Check website for opening days & times and venue address.
Visit cityandguildsartschool.ac.uk and follow @cglartschool on Instagram for more info about the school.
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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