2023 - Issue 62
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
I haven’t yet decided whether or not I actually like these works by self-taught artist Ayanfe Olarinde (@ayanfee__), but the wild mix of subjects, styles and substance — ink, acrylic, oil pastel, strands of wool and even… coffee?! — left me intrigued and very excited about the possibilities of what we might see next. Definitely an artist to keep your eye on.
‘In The Beginning And So It Goes…’ at JD Malat (@jdmalatgallery) until 06 May
Russian artist Marina Alexeeva (b.1959) has been making ‘Life Boxes’ for more than 20 years. Apparently Elton John has two. These versions incorporate animation projected in front of the detailed mini dioramas. Art lovers won’t want to miss the one titled ‘Gallery’. Hirst’s shark swims out of the tank before two of Bacon’s “Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion” leave their triptych to do unspeakable things to each other. Irreverent and absurd, I could watch these all day. There’s also eight wall works that I only found interesting once I’d noticed they were painted in acrylic.
‘HABITATS: Semiotics of Hope(less)’ at ShtagerShch (@shtager_shch) until 10 May
Feet dangle from the rafters. A steak is merged with cake. There’s a giant stack of eggs that might not be real, but the fake nail sculptures certainly are. Confused? Then here’s your opportunity to see a wide range of works that challenge the traditional notions of what you might expect from three-dimensional art. This is a very strong show with works from fourteen early and emerging artists that have recently been making waves in London’s contemporary sculpture scene. Don’t worry if you miss it, as I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of each.
‘Look Mum No Hands #2 sculptures after all’ at 9 French Place (@9_french_place) until 13 May
Contact BeAdvisors Art Department (@beadvisors_art) to schedule a visit, or via e-mail at info@beadvisors-art.co.uk
Participating artists
Amba Sayal-Bennett - @ambasayalbennett
Dominic Watson - @dom.watson
Gillies Adamson Semple - @gilliesadamsonsemple
Giorgio van Meerwijk - @giorgiovanmeerwijk
Grace Woodcock - @grakenstein
Hannah Lim - @__hannahlim__
Hoa Dung Clerget - @hdclerget
Hongxi Li - @sassyli
Massimiliano Gottardi - @gottardimassimiliano
Maya Shoham - @shohamaya
Salvatore Pione - @salvopione
Steph Huang - @theinvisibleisland
Tom Bull - @tombull.a
Yun Kim - @yuunkllllm
OG YBA Mat Collishaw (@matcollishawstudio) presents a selection of recent-ish work that reflects on our self-obsessed, social media age. Caged birds patiently wait for feed that’s never delivered, and a giant stag angrily comes to life in response to negative tweets. Shockingly, there were moments when it stood perfectly still! These animal endoskeletons give off Terminator vibes, but the pièce de résistance is a giant animated version of Massacre of the Innocents, with horrific acts of unspeakable brutality against women and children 3D printed and set within the arches of a dome. Then it starts to spin. Strobe effects make the figures look comical in a Ray Harryhausen kinda way, but the scene is looped until you become numb to the utter brutality relentlessly spinning in front of you. Obviously I watched it twice.
‘All Things Fall’ at The Bomb Factory Marylebone (@thebombfactoryartfoundation) until 21 May
I’m really weirded out by the giant sculptures that look like Brian May’s unpublished Playgirl spread. They have moving animatronic mouths and if you stick around long enough you can listen to them sing in harmony while you enjoy the series of matching portraits, which I found much less disturbing. Jamie Fitzpatrick (@jamie____fitzpatrick) is saying something about Englishness but between the occasionally hard to understand audio (luckily there’s a transcript) and the Monty Python / Mighty Boosh vibes, I was simply too distracted to comprehend the message. Maybe you’ll fare better?
‘Psycho Home-Counties’ at Vitrine (@vitrinegallery) until 10 June
I’m a big fan of architectural sketches and a deft use of texture, and this show by Richard Kenton Webb (@RichardKentonWebb) has just enough of both. The charcoal & white chalk works on paper come from a recent residency in Connecticut at the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. They’re beautifully contrasted by the textured teals and algae greens in his oil paintings. Many of the works look like a panel that’s been extracted from a bedtime storybook, and now it’s up to you to imagine the narrative.
‘Vol. 5’ at Benjamin Rhodes (@benjaminrhodes_art) until 24 June
PLUS — don’t forget to check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.