2023 - Issue 58
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
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Photographic collage, wood pallet portraits, textile-style painting, a seven artist show and the discovery of the decade?
Maddie Yuille (@maddieyuille) made me fondly reminisce about lazy summer days full of PDA until I got distracted comparing how menacing creature features like tentacles and stingers can be made to look both innocent (Hannah Lim — @__hannahlim__) and sexual (Ornella Pocetti — @ornellapocetti). Then I debated whether Renin Bilginer (@renin_bilginer_art) depicts women who are empowered or oppressed, and got utterly confused by the Chantal Powell (@chantalpowell) sculptures. Group shows like this, filled with such divergent work, mentally energise me for hours.
‘The Songs of Hecate’ at Pictorum Gallery (@PictorumGallery) until 26 Apr
Haroun Hayward (@HarounHayward) drives me crazy. His paintings are like those devil-may-care people who wear polka dot trousers with plaid shirts and Crocs. Nothing matches! But also, each of the elements would be weaker on their own, especially the Crocs. So it drives me crazy because there’s bits that I love. I mean really, really love. The paint that looks like embroidery, or some of the oil & pastel textures that look like rubbings. It’s a shame that I just can’t get past the fact that they’re all on the same plate together. I feel like a lactose intolerant diner seeing ‘No Substitutions’ on a Michelin Star menu where every item has cheese.
‘Event on the Downs’ at Hales (@halesgallery) until 29 Apr
These paintings aren’t entirely terrible, but they’re definitely not great. Which probably explains why Andy Holden (@andyholdenphotos) found them all in a charity shop along with the artist’s self-published autobiography ‘Hermione Burton: A Journey Through the Paintings’. He bought the lot. Because, well, who doesn’t like the idea of thinking they’ve discovered the next Henry Darger? Holden spent years piecing together Burton’s story, and is now presenting her work alongside films and 3D models that he’s made based on what he discovered about her life. It’s a fascinating tale filled with three marriages, two international relocations, one tragically early death (of her daughter) and open heart surgery. This is really a show about a story, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets optioned by Netflix.
‘Full of Days’ at The Gallery of Everything (@gallevery) until 30 Apr
I hope no one is standing behind me waiting to place their order, because I can’t decide which pallet wood portraits I like best: plain, tri-colour or multi-colour. They all just look so good! While I make up my mind, you can amuse yourself with the Minecraft style miniatures, each around 24cm tall (9”). These colourful characters are composites of people that Abdulrazaq Awofeso (@AbdulrazaqAwofeso) encountered on two roads with the same name, located 4,500 miles apart. (A rather expensive Uber mistake?) It never ceases to amaze me how some artists can infuse so much soul and personality into work with such a stripped back approach.
‘Broad Streets’ at Ed Cross (@edcrossfineart) until 06 May
The giant freaky face, wallpapered in the entry gallery, is the obvious clue that the light and airy works that you’ll see floating off the walls in the next room are heavier than they appear. Frida Orupabo (@nemiepeba) explores race, sexuality and heritage using photographic collage. The sad expressions and disturbing scenes entice you in for a closer look, except the details become fuzzy as the construction technique of these layered paper works reveals itself. It’s a bit of a gut punch that such a whimsical hang is so emotionally charged, and that’s exactly what makes these so impactful.
‘Things I Saw at Night’ at Modern Art (@stuartshavemodernart) until 20 May
PLUS — don’t forget to check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.