2022 - Issue 16
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
Images 1-2 = I honestly didn’t know whether to smile, be scared or feel sad for the quirky characters Peter Jeppson (@peterjeppson) brings to life in one of the most playful art installations I’ve seen this year.
‘Everything is Borrowed’ at Moosey Art (@MooseyArt) until 08 May
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Images 3-4 = Art always makes me smile, even when it’s just so… so… sad. Lonely. Isolated. Empty. Alone. Even the painting of a solo swan is sullen. By all accounts, Celia Paul had a lockdown every bit as rough as yours. Probably more so, but it inspired some of the most moving art I’ve seen in a while.
‘Memory and Desire’ at Victoria Miro (@VictoriaMiroGallery) until 07 May
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Images 5-6 = Stick around long enough and the relentless sound of an irrigation channel being dug by Kutluğ Ataman (@kutlugatamanstudio) displayed on a haphazard tower of 20 salvaged tellys becomes almost hypnotic. And arguably less disturbing than the photos and memory boxes that are anything but erotic despite their subjects regarding sexuality.
‘Mesopotamian Dramaturgies’ & ‘fiction’ at Niru Ratnam (@NiruRatnamGallery) until 14 May
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Images 7-8 = The not quite photorealistic works of Oliver Clegg (@MasterOliverClegg) would probably be less impactful if they were. The evidence of the brush, which some might call sloppy if it weren’t so intentional, adds to the effect of making these uncannily captivating. Too much more realism might have rendered them trite.
‘Tongue-Tied’ at Mamoth (@_Mamoth_) until 15 May
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Images 9-10 = Speaking of photorealism, you won’t find a lot of meaning in these Seth Price “paintings” but your eyes will go cross as you try to figure out how they’ve been made. Look at them carefully before you read the gallery writeup that explains the process.
‘Art Is Not Human’ at Sadie Coles (@SadieColesHQ) until 28 May
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PLUS — don’t forget to check What’s On so you don’t miss any of the great shows closing soon.