2022 - Issue 41
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
There are photo filters that can turn your irreverent selfies into Old Masters style imagery, but 70-year old Malcolm Liepke does it the hard way. Using oil on canvas he slowly yet perfectly captures the abject boredom of today’s beautiful youth. These simply framed, captivating portraits remind me of the sad and lonely faces I often see illuminated by smart phone screens as I people watch in public.
‘Do You See Me?’ at Pontone Gallery (@pontonegallery) until 20 Nov
Speaking of people watching, Ben Chisnall has painted over 200 that he’s spied on the Tube. Grouped and framed like a modern Cigarette Card collection, couples, readers, pet lovers and manspreaders (painted on much wider canvas than the rest, of course!) are just a few of the categories you’ll be familiar with if you’ve ridden the Underground. The isolation of the figures reinforces the invisible boundaries we all put up in public. Especially during claustrophobic rush hour rides, which Chisnell perfectly captures in a few collaged sets where you can only see snippets like footwear, a headband or hands on the handrail.
‘Londoners Underground’ at the Barbican Library (2nd Floor) (@BarbicanCentre) until 23 Nov
Luigi Pericle (1916-2001) was big in the 60s as both an artist and illustrator (Max the Marmot) but opted to withdraw from the attention. This two room retrospective shows you the abstract works that made him his name, and the recently discovered ones that just might bring him back to the limelight. His trompe-l'œil mixed media on masonite works are so unnaturally smooth that you’ll think they’d been professionally printed. They were found after his death, and no one knows how he made them.
‘Luigi Pericle: A Rediscovery’ at Estorick Collection (@EstorickCollection) until 18 Dec (£ Ticketed)
〰
Visit luigipericle.org or follow @luigi_pericle on Instagram to learn more about the artist.
It’s hard to avoid the giant crocodile jaws, but you’ll need to bring your glasses and a magnifying glass to ensure you don’t miss any of the tiny, exquisite and often NSFW scenes in these works by James Mortimer (@jamesmortimerart). Filled with the kinds of warped details that might make his mother exclaim “That boy ain’t right!”, this show is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone who loves the strange and surreal.
‘Eaten Alive’ at James Freeman Gallery (@jamesfreemangallery) until 26 Nov
Billy Fraser (@billy_fraser) presents a lighthearted display that makes it all too easy to miss the subversive nature of the work, and the insane amount of detail involved to make it look so simple. Magically floating wall displays and 400th anniversary £2 Guy Fawkes coins are just a few of the many Gunpowder Plot references you might notice while you ponder whether neutering live explosives in resin is a statement about government attempts to silence protest, or just silly nostalgia in a see-through box.
‘High Treason 1605’ at Des Baines (@des.bains) until 21 Nov
You simply cannot make something this big using public funds without inspiring heated discussion and debate. Which I encourage, but it’s best to be informed. Lucky for you, this retired rig from the North Sea that’s been kitted out with a waterfall, concert hall and fun slide has been granted an extension and is open 9am-9pm daily (last entry 8pm). The roughly 5-hr round trip from Paddington makes this a full day-trip for Londoners, but this ain’t no Marble Arch Mound. Try to climb it if you can because you’re unlikely ever to see anything like it again. Plus, it’s FREE!
‘See Monster’ (@SeeMonsterUK) in Weston-super-mare until 20 Nov
PLUS — don’t forget to check my What’s On page so you don’t miss any of the other great art shows closing soon.