2024 - Issue 121
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention last week. Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter to find out what didn’t make the cut.
In 2006 Sarabande was established by Lee Alexander McQueen (yes, the fashion designer) with the “ambition to support the most creatively fearless minds of the future”. That’s an apt description for artists that hide meticulously engraved letters inside folded aluminium… print photos onto leaves which are then set into eco-friendly resin… and craft an immersive meditation room out of baling twine. There’s not a lot of “traditional” art in this summer show and that’s why you’ll walk away eager to see what these ten creatives do next. At least I did.
Featuring:
Darcey Fleming (@darceyfleming_)
Jo Grogan (@jogrogan_sculpture)
Leyman Lahcine (@leymanlahcine)
Malgorzata Lisiecka (@malgorzata_lisiecka)
Kuniko Maeda (@kunicom0341)
Koby Martin (@koby_martin)
Electric Adam (@electricadam)
Anna Nicolò (@anna__nicolo)
George Richardson (@george_richardson)
Almudena Romero (@almudena.romero)
‘…stay longer’ at Sarabande Foundation (@sarabandefoundation) until 06 Sept
For the past three years Hauser & Wirth has partnered with Hospital Rooms, a charity that brings artwork and creative programmes into NHS mental healthcare units. The current exhibition is a physical manifestation of their Digital Art School initiative and offers free creative sessions that take place every hour. There’s no need to register, just show up and participate, and be sure to check out what others have created. All the output will be placed on the walls next to artworks that will be auctioned to raise funds for the charity.
Download the full schedule of free sessions.
Browse or bid in the online auction.
‘Digital Art School’ at Hauser & Wirth (@hauserwirth) until 10 Sept
There’s plenty of visual curiosity in this show with a deep bass soundtrack, but you’ll immediately realise these works aren’t content to be eye candy. Each of the three artists creates highly conceptional and/or research based art that’s unlikely to be fully understood without the accompanying text or a curator’s tour. I was fortunate to get the latter, but still left with more questions than answers. Don’t let that put you off. There’s plenty of detail in each of these pieces that might inspire you to do a deeper investigation into their meaning.
Featuring:
Alia Hamaoui (@aliahamaoui)
Amba Sayal Bennett (@ambasayalbennett)
Raheel Khan (@raheelkhan____)
‘Between Hands and Metal’ at Palmer Gallery (@palmer.gallery) until 21 Sept
Honourable mention artworks
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I liked a few things at the Skarstedt ‘Shades of Grey’ show, but I spent the most time studying Paula Rego’s Five Generations of Muses (2007). This graphite & conté pencil on paper is a fantastic example of her compositional and technical skills. My image shows a fraction of the very large work, which is 54 x 40 in. (137.2 x 101.6 cm).
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The gallery gave me a jump scare when they turned on this work by Michael E. Smith, but what really gives me nightmares is wondering whose kneecaps are inside those water bottles. The Modern Art invigilator didn’t know, and it’s wasn’t until a few days later that I realised what else was keeping me awake at night: How did the artist even mange to get them in there?
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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