2023 - Issue 68
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
‘Face pareidolia’ is when you see faces in everyday objects. Artist Girjesh Kumar Singh must have the superhero x-ray version, because he sees entire heads locked inside old brick and masonry, and then meticulously carves them out. Some of these exquisite figures have been encased for centuries, but thanks to Girjesh, who scavenged the rubble of destroyed buildings in Uttar Pradesh, they’ve been set free to scowl and stare you down. Seriously… I didn’t see any smiling, but maybe that’s because I couldn’t stop staring at them.
There’s also a related display in the basement gallery, ‘Looking at the Human’, which offers up a collection of sculptural heads and masks from 450 BC to the early 20th Century.
‘Life in the Rubble’ at Rosenfeld (@galleryrosenfeld) until 01 Jul
Gazing into these small works by Emma Tod (@emmatod1) is a bit like squinting through an early morning autumn fog. You’re just not sure how far away any thing really is, nor what those things even are. Rocks? Flowers? Maybe they’re just more mist. Their soothing softness makes for a peaceful contemplation, and they’ll slow you down into a meditative state. JPEGs don’t do these justice, but the show’s being extended so you’ve got no excuse not to go.
‘Light the Lamp Rarely, Let the Shadow Come’ at IMT (@imtgallery) until 02 July
Lately it’s impossible to walk out of a grocery without muttering ‘WTF?’ and this ex-Sainsbury’s venue proves no different. Except now it’s art, not the prices, that’ll set your head spinning. This collaboration between two nomadic curatorial teams — Thorp Stavri (@thorpstavri) and HAZE (@hazeprojects) — invited 31 artists to present work based around one or more of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. There’s a lot of experimental work but in case you just don’t get it, the QR codes provide helpful explanations. Plus, you get to snoop around the old storage freezers in the back. Yup, there’s art in there too!
‘2 for 1’ at Hypha Studios Stratford (@hyphastudios) until 07 Jul
Project Native Informant is one of the more dependable galleries that I frequent. That statement says more about my taste in art than it does their curatorial approach, but is probably still helpful for my regular readers. Whether you’re well versed with the gallery or this is the first you’re heard of them, PNI’s current show celebrating ten years in operation is an excellent introduction to artists and collectives you’ll want to be familiar with.
‘PNI @ 10’ at Project Native Informant (@projectnativeinformant) until 08 Jul
“A journey though painting and photography” is a great concept, but Tate’s curatorial team clearly took the afternoon off when it came time to flesh out the rest of the justification. They probably realised they didn’t need to, because they’ve hung at least half a dozen works that I’d pay £20 each to see in this “NOW That’s What I Call Art!” show that has Picasso, Freud, Neel, Bacon, Dorothy Lange’s iconic photo, Gursky, Warhol, Richter, Hockney and more. There’s even a Peter Doig painting of the final scene from Friday the 13th. (Yes. The 1980 horror film!) Museums have yet to see anything close to their pre-pandemic footfall, and this show is clearly a loose excuse to bring out the hits to sell tickets. You know what? I really don’t care. There’s just too many works here that are too good not to miss.
‘Capturing the Moment’ at Tate Modern (@tate) until 28 Apr 2024
PLUS — don’t forget to check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.