2024 - Issue 102
Snails, synapses, subliminal imagery, Sudanese art, silliness and shifts of perspective. This week’s issue is brought to you by the letter S.
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If you’ve ever noticed the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo then you’ll love taking a closer look at these paintings by Gordon Mitchell (@gordonmitchellrsa) that frequently, but not always subtly, hide figures in plain sight. Maybe these appeal because I grew up convinced there was a naked man subliminally inserted into Camel cigarette ads but don’t worry, not all of the works are filled with sexy silhouettes. Most feature amusing wildlife and landacapes.
‘New Paintings’ at Portland Gallery (@portlandgallery) until 12 April
Oliver Clegg (@masteroliverclegg) has painted on scraps of wood, leaving extruded nails and splintered edges in place. Would I have enjoyed these works as much as I did had they been painted on rectalgular linen? Probably not. There’s something about the cobbled together nature of his makeshift, misaligned canvasses that enhances both the silliness (Fightin’ kitties!) and sadness (a sullen monkey or the somber face hiding behind a mask) in these six superb works.
Ibrahim El-Salahi (b.1930) is a Sudanese painter that Londoners may recognise from his giant painting that hangs in the Tate Modern: Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams. If you like that then you’ll love these six smaller works that were made around the same timeframe, including one on loan from a private Sudanese family collection. It’s never been shown in public. If you’re super keen, or a collector, you can inquire at the gallery about additional works on paper from the fifties, sixties and seventies that are available to view privately.
‘No Shade but His Shade’ at Vigo Gallery (@vigogallery) until 08 May
Snails! Yulia Iosilzon (@yulia_iosilzon) has filled her solo with lots and lots and lots of snails. They’re painted as swirly motifs in all of the works. Little ceramic ones crawl up and down the frames and one giant snail named Slimon interrupts your flow as you pass through the gallery. There’s even a wedding cake topped with a snail family! What does it all mean? Who the hell knows. Like the straight faced blonde muses that dance with the snails and caress them in the imagery, I just embraced it and enjoyed the slow snail flow.
‘Modus Operandi’ at Berntson Bhattacharjee (@berntsonbhattacharjee) until 11 May
Curator Ekow Eshun (@ekoweshun) challenges the NPGs traditional focus on portrayed subjects (rather than the skill of the painter/portraitist) by presenting some of the best contemporary Black artists that frequently work in figurative (distinctly different than portraiture) to “invite a shift in the dominant art historical perspective, from ‘looking at' the Black figure, to 'seeing from' the viewpoint of Black artists and the figures they depict.” If it’s unclear why that’s important than start in the middle with Barbara Walker’s Vanishing Point series, in which classical works of art have been embossed onto white paper, reducing everything to a ghostly remnant. Walker then re-paints any black figures that appeared, bringing prominence to figures that were literally marginalised in the original.
Some works might need a read of the wall text to fully appreciate (e.g. Lubaina Himid and Godfried Donkor) but most of the artists portray a more relatable contemporary experience. Henry Taylor and Jordan Casteel bring agency to the common neighbour. Amy Sherald, Denzil Forrester, Thomas J Price and Wangechi Mutu use exaggerated or subverted features. Michael Armitage and Kerry James Marshall create multi-layered artworks that are visually engaging while also presenting deeper political subtext. And that’s not even half of the artists on display in this show filled with some truly amazing contemporary artwork.
‘The Time Is Always Now’ at National Portrait Gallery (@nationalportraitgallery) until 19 May
Adults £16 / 25 and under £5 / Discounts available
There’s almost as many facts in this show about the Brain as there are neurons in yours. Actually, no, there isn’t, because you have 10 times more neurons inside your head than there are people on Earth! That’s one of the many amazing things you’ll learn thanks to the easy to understand language in a series of engaging, touchable displays. There’s crochet neurons, 3D printed models of alligator brains and plenty of videos for those who just want to watch. Who knew a bunch of brainy stats could be both educational and so visually entertaining?!
‘Hello Brain!’ at Francis Crick Institute (@thefranciscrickinstitute) —> extended until 20 June 2025
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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