2024 - Issue 98
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention last week. Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter to find out what didn’t make the cut.
There’s something alluring about mirrors that refuse to do what they’re supposed to. Rado Kirov (@rado_kirov) works with highly polished stainless steel, creating abstract sculptures and wall based art that tricks you into looking at them. Expecting you’ll see yourself, these mirrors are actually the ultimate f-you to the self(ie) obsessed. Teasing you with fun-house style reflections of a foot or an eye, they’ll mostly make you squint and wince thanks to the crazy refractions of bright gallery light they send blindingly back at you.
‘Mercurial Echoes’ at Pontone Gallery (@pontonegallery) until 10 Mar
Children of the 80s and London Transport fans will especially enjoy this selection of multi-layered artworks that reveal deeper meaning the less you look at them. That’s because the visually engaging designs, which mimic 8-bit characters from classic video games, have underlying patterns made using 2x3 grids that form letters in Braille. Clarke Reynolds (@clarkereynoldsofficial) — aka the Blind Braille Artist — creates with the visually impaired in mind and so yes, you can touch his art. Except only those who read Braille, or take the time to manually decipher the lettering, will be able to fully understand the story inside each work.
‘5° of Vision’ at Grove Gallery (@grovegalleryofficial) until 15 Mar
No mission statement. No convoluted theme. Just 17 female artists currently working in London’s contemporary art scene. The curation is sculpture heavy, which suits me just fine because they’re by far the strongest, and often strangest, works. Damaris Athene’s giant flesh coloured muffin on a mirror. Steel worms from Nina Gonzalez-Park that pop out of the ground and walls. Melissa Vipritskaya Topal’s abstract creations that look like remote controls for an alien games console. The experimentation might not be to everyone’s taste but it’s refreshing and energising to see so many works that don’t just catch your attention from across the room, but hold it once you get up close.
Featuring:
Annie Trevorah - @annietrevorahsculptor
Ashley Cluer - @ashleycluer
Damaris Athene - @damaris.athene
Eleni Maragaki Xiromamou - @eleni__maragaki
Eva Dixon - @evadixon.png
Florence Sweeney - @florencesweeney
Karolina Dworska - @karolinkadworska
Lea Rose Kara - @learosekara_art
Melissa Vipritskaya Topal - @melissavtopal
Nina Gonzalez-Park - @ninnipannini
…and many more!
Curated by Melissa Vipritskaya Topal (@melissavtopal) and Zoë Goetzmann (@byzoesera)
‘Unveiling Abstractions’ at Hypha Studios - Euston Tower (@hyphastudios) until 30 Mar
Peter Blake (@peterblakeartist): Pop art pioneer… British institution… Sculptor? Technically, yes, though his seldom seen 3D works are really just assemblage that isn’t too dissimilar to the aftermath you’d have found in my childhood playroom. Except his source material goes much further back despite many of these works, and accompanying collage, being made within the last decade. Why is there no modern imagery? Maybe Blake’s got a stash of old toys and cutouts he’s still using to be environmentally friendly? Regardless, it’s a treat to see these works but there are 104 of them and after half a dozen you get the gist. The gallery’s backhanded compliment states ”Blake’s work … has remained remarkably consistent over six decades” but I found a more appropriate quote in Sgt. Pepper: “They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile”.
‘Sculpture and Other Matters’ at Waddington Custot (@waddingtoncustot) until 13 Apr
Native Inuit artist Ningiukulu Teevee (@ningiukulu) is from Kinngait (pop. 1,441) which is located way, way, way up north in Canada, about 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Her drawings and prints have an illustrative style similar to what you might find in a story book, which is fitting as they’re mostly based on Inuit fables and cultural traditions. There’s some soothing patterned works but it’s the interplay of human and animal characters that triggered my curiosity, making me eager to read the stories that accompany the imagery.
‘Stories from Kinngait’ at Canada House Gallery (@canadaintheuk) until 1 Jun
Note: The gallery is located inside the Canadian embassy. Entry is free and open Mon-Sat 11am-5.30pm.
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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