2023 - Issue 74
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
Sushi sparkles skimpy pink bikini. Try saying that five times fast and you might be just as tongue tied as I was trying to describe these crazy day-glo works by Ana Barriga (@anabarrigaoliva). In addition to the sushi fish themes, you’ll spot eyeballs, an alien and joyful toys that look like they’re on their way to a latex fetish party. If you like the artist’s distinct street-art style you can transplant it to your kitchen with a limited edition cookie jar.
‘Say Cheese’ at Carl Kostyál (@carl.kostyal) until 12 Sep
I heard the rusted tin can before I actually saw it creaking its way ‘round a tabletop looking for scraps of attention. The whimsy by Arturo Kameya (@Arturo_Kameya) continues if you carefully study his three-panel wall work that acts as a backdrop, but ominous shadows from an Alison Saar (@alison_saar) sculpture and the bronzed baby boots worn by “Backwater Creature II” by Allison Janae Hamilton (@allisonjanaehamilton) contribute to a greater sense of mystery in this group show that doesn’t contain any soil or concrete, despite the title. Except for some underwhelming abstracts nothing here is scary, but everything is just unsettling enough to make you wonder what’s going on.
‘Tales of Soil and Concrete’ at Pippy Houldsworth (@pippyhouldsworthgallery) until 12 Aug
A conceptual cousin to the ghosts that inhabit the magical portraits in Harry Potter, these works by Dominic Harris (@dominicharrisartist) aren’t intended for installation-crazed Instagrammers but wealthy collectors seeking tech-savvy art. Butterflies flutter as you walk by or touch the screen. Greek gods flex muscles for attention once they catch your eye. The imagery is anodyne and the animations are subtle, more screensaver than spectacle. This is ‘Slow Art’ for the digital age, but the possibilities the technology implies is incredibly exciting, especially if it becomes affordable for a wider audience.
‘Feeding Consciousness’ at Halycon Gallery (@halcyongallery) until 13 Aug
These hand-carved, painted wood blocks by Sthenjwa Luthuli (@Sthenjwa_Luthuli) make my eyes go fuzzy and my feet feel buzzy. They’re inspired by African history and Black ancestral traditions, though I haven’t a clue why they’re headless. Does it even matter when the bodies are so vivacious and full of life? I wanted to dance with them through the patterns, and tango with the sculptural ones that appear to have escaped from their frame!
‘Inzalo Ye Langa: Birthplace of the Sun’ at Unit London (@unitlondon) until 24 Aug
These wonky shaped clay pots look like they’ve been left out in the rain before being fired, and that’s indeed what Kazunori Hamana (@kazunorihamana) does in order to let natural elements impact their appearance. I sunk into their Earthy colours, and went into a hypnotic trance while my eyes followed the spiralling finger marks on the insides. He’s a self taught ceramicist with an exquisite eye for subtle details, so I can’t imagine a more fitting setting for these works than the understated chic of Blue Mountain School. It’s worth a visit just to see and climb the oak stairwell. The six vessels in the upstairs gallery are a worthy reward.
‘Tsubos’ at Blue Mountain School (@bluemountainschool) until 26 Aug
With a few strong lines and some simple shading Eileen Cooper (@Eileen_Cooper_RA) has beautifully captured the energy of movement. I adore how some of the figures actively push against the constraints and borders of the page, while others look like they’re ready to jump right out into the room. I was also amused by the series of naked yoga poses that I found more surreal than sexual. These forty-five year old works have been unseen until now, and they’re so strong you’ll wonder why it’s taken so long for them to be shown.
‘Ambivalence and Desire’ at Huxley-Parlour (@huxleyparlour) until 02 Sep
A subdivided gallery, courtesy of a shower curtain, enables intimate moments to explore a series of abstract sculptural works that might further confound you once you learn what they’re made of. Alexandra Searle (@alexandrasearle_) does things with Kelp powder and Himalayan sea salt that would blow Nigella’s mind. But is that hair on the floor by the drain in my photo just a random coincidence or did someone really try to take a shower?
‘My Bone Dust is Faint Coral’ at Xxijra Hii (@xxijrahii_) until 02 Sep
PLUS — don’t forget to check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.