2023 - Issue 51
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
Let’s start with some silly! Looking very much like a crate full of Beano exploded inside the gallery, you’ll probably twist your neck trying to enjoy every one of the nonsensical drawings by Mark Denton (@mdentonesq) that are plastered all over the walls. And floor. And ceiling. And I never figured out why there’s a Pearly King hat because I got distracted by the gigantic oversized push pins.
‘The Shitshow’ at Jealous Gallery East (@jealous_london) until 26 Feb
Neale Howells’ (@artistnealehowells) work reminds me of the Brick Lane side streets that Tower Hamlets council no longer tries to keep clear of graffiti, stickers and other street art debris. Made on collaged wood remnants, these have subtle shadow and depth that’s almost impossible to see until you’re right up close. Overflowing with details that you’ll lose amongst the chaos almost as soon as you’ve seen them. Looking at these is a bit like staring into an overgrown forest, which is what Andrew Gifford (@Andrew_Gifford_artist) has meticulously painted with a brilliant eye for light. If you’re lucky, a few of those works might still be in the back room.
‘Neale Howells’ at John Martin Gallery (@johnmartingallery) until 03 Mar
What are these curious ceramics, and at what point does too many of something transform art into commodity? Those probably aren’t the questions Richard Slee wants me asking, but when there’s 408 of anything spread across what looks to be a defunct YO!Sushi conveyor belt, the mind gets distracted by mass as opposed to aesthetic. The glossy candy-shell coating gave me cake cravings, and the show should come with a trigger warning for all the husbands who’ve ever been dragged to pick out wedding registry china.
‘Sunlit Uplands’ at Hales (@halesgallery) until 04 Mar
Here’s another show of visually random works that might reward closer inspection, or possibly just leave you confused. Large mismatched canvasses are sparsely populated with splotches, scribbles and the occasional pithy statement. They look a bit like antiquated maps, but without a key or a psychoanalyst I suspect only artist Tricia Gillman (@triciagillmanart) will be able to effectively navigate them. A series of small paper collage works provide no further clues, but that didn’t stop me from trying to walk away enlightened.
‘Moment Fields: 2019 - 2023’ at Benjamin Rhodes Arts (@benjaminrhodes_art) until 01 Apr
You don’t need to be an authority on London’s fast changing skyline to appreciate the historical views or scenes of people engaging amongst London’s iconic architecture. St Paul’s.. Brutalism… even the building in which I live makes an appearance! From the 5-metre wide bird’s eye view of a late-60’s Southbank to Terence Cuneo’s crowd-filled canvasses that have a mouse carefully hidden in each, this show filled with larger than life works is my kind of love letter to London.
‘The Big City’ at Guildhall Art Gallery (@guildhallartlondon) until 30 Jul
NOTE: Admission is FREE but this show is running under a ‘Pay What You Can’ model to help support future exhibitions.
PLUS — don’t forget to check my What’s On page so you don’t miss any of the other great art shows closing soon.