2024 - Issue 94
Showcasing artists and works that caught my attention.
Had this show been located next to an estate agent it might easily be mistaken as a high-end property developer supply shop. Co-opting financial jargon and tools for ASBO enforcement, the disarmingly cheerful works of Seb Koseda (@sebkoseda) invite you in so they can remind you that you’re not wanted. If you loiter long enough you might get lucky and see the anti-climb paintings literally dripping onto the floor.
‘Fully Detached’ at Sarah Kravitz Gallery (@sarahkravitzgallery) until 04 Feb
Ranging from the expected (empty rooms and tears) to the obscure (abstract collage and a voodoo shrine) this group show covers the wide range of ways in which artists deal with grief and loss. Soundtracked by Rosie Strickland’s (@rosiestrickland__) unnerving sonic ambience and featuring a stunning mirror painting by Susanne Baumann (@baumann3736) and an artist addressing sight loss (Kimberley Burrows — @KimberleyBurrowsart) there are some inspired works that transcend the obvious in a show with something for everyone. A wise approach for a gallery set inside a local high street library.
‘Exploring grief and loss through art’ at Willesden Gallery (@Willesden_Gallery) until 23 Feb
It’s hard to believe these works were partly inspired by the simple act of peering through an empty loo roll tube, because Emma Cousin (@emmacousin) has taken the concept of tunnel vision to surreal, dysmorphic extremes. Connected via beams of light and steampunk style eyewear, it’s never quite clear what these humanoid creatures are doing to, with or for each other. The smaller works in the back include a slightly less grosteque but ominous portrayal of humans on the run.
‘Tunnel Vision’ at Niru Ratnam (@niruratnamgallery) until 24 Feb
I thought the gallery was far too brightly lit for these works. And yet, rather annoyingly, the glare enhanced the effect of the reflective surfaces and semi-transparent layers expertly painted by Timothy Lai (@timothyhlai). Squinting through the light at these mysterious life-sized scenes, I had a curious desire to pull aside those pointillist curtains, to walk down those halls and to peek around the doors and walls. Took me a while to realise one ‘window’ was actually a mirror, though!
‘Towards a Blue Room’ at Josh Lilley (@joshlilleylondon) until 24 Feb
With the windows frosted and a massive conical meditation chamber taking up the bulk of the space, Li Li Ren (@lili_ren_) has transformed the gallery into what appears to be a sacred alien alter. Three bronze sculptures, hung like sconces, confound you with their skeletal structures cradling gooey glass shapes that look like viscous puddles of honey. Mind your head around the low hung orb in the centrepiece, and be sure to visit in the early evening to best experience the lighting both inside and out. There’s an external neon work, and a soundtrack by Bubble People (@jasper_drifts).
“The World Forgetting, by the World Forgot” at Sherbet Green (@sherbet_green) until 16 Mar
I’ve previously described the works of Olivia Bax (@olivia_bax_) as looking look like debris extracted from the Regent’s Canal muck — which I admit is a rather unappealing description for such curious objects that so colourfully draw my attention. That theme continues in a new series shrunk to tabletop size. Stacked high on shelves, the gallery looks like the back room of a dystopian KitchenAid repair shop. There’s a matching pink stepladder to let you see the ones up top, but please think carefully before you use it. The last time an artist made someone climb a ladder to see their work, The Beatles broke up.
‘Floss’ at Holtermann Fine Art (@holtermannfineart) until 16 Mar
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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