2023 - Issue 56
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
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One solo, one group and one large open call.
I’m a big fan of large shows filled with small works. They’re like hunting through jumble sales for a Hermès scarf. You might get lucky, but that’s not really why you go. Curated by Jarelle Andre Francis (@jarelle_andre_francis), this show let the artists do whatever they wanted as long as it fit on a 20x20cm canvas. Naturally, many found ways to creatively break the rule, like Polina Belenchuk (@Belenchuk) who wore the remaining 2/3rds of her triptych about endometriosis on the day she was invigilating the show. With ~80 works at an average price of £150, you’re sure to discover an affordably priced gem for your collection.
‘20x20 Vision’ at Blue House Yard (@bluehouseyard) until 06 Apr
Women, especially those working in textiles and ceramics, have unfairly been viewed as second class artists for centuries. So it should come as no surprise that this group show, featuring exquisitely detailed pieces by twelve women, has been relegated to a basement gallery so that the more prominent upstairs space can showcase “paintings” by a male artist who essentially just fills in patterns generated by computer algorithms. I might be oversimplifying that last bit, but there’s no way I could understate the detail and craft (an intentionally loaded term) to be found in the ceramic works by Phoebe Collings-James (@phoebethegorgon), the freaky wearable fabric sculptures by Daisy Collingridge (@daisy_collingridge) and the beautiful wool-under-silk sheen of the abstracts by Ferren Gibson (@ferengibson), who also curated the exhibition. There’s not a duff piece in the show, but you’re gonna have to go if you wanna see the rest.
‘Within + Without’ at Unit London (@unitlondon) until 06 Apr
These are my kind of abstracts. The kind that make you drive your partner crazy debating what they remind you of. Stacks of masonry? Organic cells mating? That thing you saw on holiday that day you took the day-trip with the local tour guide? And just before you figure it out you’ll get side-tracked by layers of raised paint and the curious small nubs that extrude off the edges. With a ridiculously wide range of subtle colour changes, these works by Gabriela Giroletti (@gabrielagiroletti) offer up a lot more intrigue then I’d expected, and they do it with ease against the backdrop of one of the most dynamic gallery spaces in London.
‘Mingling Currents’ at Kristin Hjellegjerde (@kristinhjellegjerdegallery) until 15 Apr
PLUS — don’t forget to check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.