Category: Art

‘Penumbra’ is a word that describes the indistinct area between light and shadow, and is the title of the debut art exhibition by young curatorial collective VERB, to be held at the APT Gallery in Deptford. The collective is made up of curators Nella Aarne and Rachael Smith, curator/journalist Olga Stebleva and artists Elizabeth Hudson and Harriet Wiseman.

Anton Burdakov, Light Lighter, 2013.

The show presents the work of 11 emerging artists with fresh and intriguing perspectives on ambiguity and the in-between. The curators see a link between the position of themselves and the artists – as emerging practitioners – and the current phenomena of the young taking longer to find security and stability. The exhibition is structured around three main strands; ambiguous spaces, the passage of time and transformation. Approaches range from the disorientating spaces of Collette Rayner’s film Sealand and Megan Broadmeadow’s towering installation Mastaba, to Anna Hussey’s delicate etchings Relics, which explore an ambiguous mix of memory, fact and fiction.

Here's a bit more info about some of the featured artists:

Anton Burdakov lives and works in London and Berlin. He originally studied neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and has recently completed an MA in Fine Art the Royal College of Art in London. In his work Light, Lighter a set of scales gradually tips over as a candle on one end burns down.

Clare Price, Gentle Filth, 2013.

Clare Price is currently doing her MFA in Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, she has a BA (hons) in Fine Art Painting from Central Saint Martins. She was selected for the Marmite Prize for Painting 2012/13. Plume, Flip Flopping, Rip and Gentle Filth are mixed media abstract paintings that contrast unpredictable mark-making with digitally-inspired forms.

Helen McGhie, Fitting Rooms #6, 2013.

Helen McGhie is a current MA Photography student at Royal College of Art. She has had a solo show at Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston and been in group exhibitions across the country. Fitting Rooms (#6, #13, #17) is a series of colour photographs showing glimpses of women in fitting rooms.

Megan Broadmeadow, Mastaba, 2013.

Megan Broadmeadow is a current MFA Fine Art student at Goldsmiths and has a First Class BA (hons) from UCL Slade School of Art. Mastaba is a sculptural video installation that combines cultural memory and pop imagery.

Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.
The public events programme is free, and includes curator's tours on Friday 2nd and Wednesday 14th, a panel discussion on Thursday 8th, drop-in workshops on Saturday 10th and an artists' talk and performance on Sunday 18th. Families are welcome.
Join the facebook event here.

Category: Art

Veronica Rowlands is a London based practising artist and experienced art teacher and tutor who enjoys making her lessons therapeutic and highly productive.
 Have you ever wanted to be taken out of your comfort zone with your drawing to create cutting edge Fashion Illustrations in a short space of time?


Now you can….. Veronica Rowlands is running Fashion Illustration classes at the Debut Contemporary Gallery in Notting Hill, starting with the first one on Wednesday 14th May, another on 28th May and then one to follow on the second Wednesday of every month.
 
You will be introduced to a range of media and taught different methods of drawing to two minute deadlines and at the end of the session use your new found drawing style to create a unique piece of artwork.

The tight time deadlines leave no time to dither, meaning that you will work from the subconscious. By the end of the session you will have created an artwork unique to you and your tastes.
 Find out more here. 


Category: Art

From May until July 2014, venues in Brighton and London will be holding arts and theatre performances for a range of interests. LIFT Festival, in its 33rd year, brings together performers from all over the world to look at key issues in today’s society. Brighton Festival aims to transform the city of Brighton into a hub of artistic activity, with exhibitions and performances from local and national artists. A few of the shows coming up over the next few months include:

Bring the Happy at ONCA Gallery, Brighton. Running from the 23rd – 25th of May, the exhibition invites members of the public to add their own happy memories to a giant 3D map of England. Invisible Flock and Hope & Social will then accumulate all the memories into a performance at The Old Market.

Information is Beautiful, a show by author & designer David McCandless, discusses the potential of visualised information to help us understand, navigate and find meaning in a complex world. Taking place on the 15th of May at Brighton Dome, it demonstrates the challenges of presenting necessary information to audiences in an age of information overload.

For anyone who’s interested in the philosophy of art, Symphony of a Missing Room is a must-see. Taking place at the Royal Academy of Arts from the 19th of May until the 8th of June, Lundahl & Seitl’s work discusses the imprints left on a room once the art inside it is taken away.

Museum of Water by Amy Sharrocks [https://www.artsadmin.co.uk/artists/amy-sharrocks] looks at the intricate challenges surrounding climate change, international development and human nature, by asking people to give their own unique perspectives on the most common substance on the planet. It runs from the 6th – 9th of June at Somerset House, Strand.

International artists collaborate on a takeover of the Battersea Arts Centre for After a War, an exploration of the first world war and its impact on the 21st century. Twenty-five artists and companies from around the world discuss the global impact and legacy of WWI alongside contemporary issues of war and peace. Taking place from the 27th – 29th of June, its highlights include the use of several thousand dominoes to demonstrate the impact of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, and Lucien Bourjeily’s new maps of the middle east.

Follow @LIFTFestival and @BrightFest on Twitter for more info.

Category: Art

An eclectic collection of contemporary tiger-inspired art launches today at Sanderson Hotel. The collection is not only set to raise significant awareness of the plight of the wild tiger but also raise desperately needed funds to help to save the wild tiger before it’s too late.The artwork will then be auctioned at a Save Wild Tigers fund raising dinner at Belgravia’s Mango Tree on 20th May.

Art by Shannon Rose Lane.

Twenty artists have contributed artworks for Thrive, curated by Lauren Baker, a London artist who recently created an installation at Tate Britain. She also exhibits in galleries across the US and Europe and has art directed the windows of Selfridges. You can read more about her on our website here. Lauren Baker's most intricate work yet, The Crystal Tigress, will be launched at Thrive – a stunning life-size sculpture of a tigress head, encrusted with 50,000 Swarovski crystals.

Lauren Baker's Crystal Tigress.

Lauren says, 'I am honoured to be working with such a talented array of artists who have all joined forces to create this very intriguing and special one-off tiger-inspired exhibition in London, all in aid of Save Wild Tigers. Sanderson offers an ideal back-drop for this exclusive collection and it’s so heartening to get the contemporary art community together to protect our tigers.'

Art by Mark Powell.

Save Wild Tigers is a global initiative set up by Simon Clinton in 2010, with profits going to tiger conservation charities including the Born Free Foundation (BFF), the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Malaysia (WCS). Developing creative and engaging marketing campaigns – it boasts support of global celebrities such as Joanna Lumley, Brian May, Gok Wan and Jimmy Choo.

Art by Magnus.

Founder of Save Wild Tigers, Simon Clinton comments: 'In 1900, there were believed to be 150,000 wild tigers in the world. Today there are fewer than 3,500 across 13 countries. With a constant threat of poaching and a decrease in habitat, this majestic species could be extinct in less than 10 years if we don’t act now.'

Art by Chapter.

Artists exhibiting at Thrive include: Cassandra Yap, Chapter, Chiara Lisa Perano and Bellerby & co, Claire Bentley Smith, Clara Bacou, Chris Wright, Gary Hodges, Jane McCracken, Laura Lian, Lauren Baker, Magnus Gjoen, Mark Powell, Mikey Brain, Otto Schade, Pampa Louzao, Rohan Chhabra, Roger Hooper, Shannon Rose Lane, Thomas Knights and Yanskiy.

Private viewings of Thrive are available between 9am and 9pm daily.

Category: Art

Hannah Battershell’s works are small insights into a fantasy world, often with a strong feeling of narrative running through the imagery. Her studies of English Literature are evident, with many pieces structured as if to illustrate a story. She draws on her imagination, books she has read, half remembered quotations and unusual words as starting points for her pieces. The characters and narratives within the work have a surreal quality to them, a dark sense of humour and at times an unnerving sense of loneliness. This illustrative quality to her work has previously drawn comparison to artists such as Edward Gorey or Leonora Carrington.

Hannah Battershell, Homunculus, mixed media, vintage tin, glass, 10x8cm.

Hannah Battershell, The Melancholy Dictator, mixed media on paper collage, 21 x 16cm.
 
Alongside Hannah Battershell’s painted imagery and richly textured collages, found objects feature or, at times are a framework from which the work evolves. Battershell continually hunts down vintage cigarette tins, old buttons, compasses or pocket watches to incorporate into her work, adding to a sense of nostalgia and atmosphere of an old curiosity shop. Her work is particularly suited to the setting of this exhibition – the unique space of The Rectory Gallery, the Hawksmoor designed Rectory of Christ Church Spitalfields. The Rectory Gallery maintains its domestic feel and period features such as the panelled walls, which add an interesting context to this collection of her works. 
 

Hannah Battershell, The Drunken Librarian, mixed media, 9x9cm.

Hannah Battershell, The Performance, mixed media on paper collage, 18 x 18cm.

Hannah Battershell has exhibited with Curwen Gallery since 2011, and has had work in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions in 2013 and 2011. Her painting 'Crocodilian' appeared in 'Images 36', the 2012 Association of Illustrators' Best of New British Illustration publication. Hannah lives and works in London.
 
Opening times: The Rectory Gallery is open First Thursdays of the month 1-9pm and by appointment only at all other times. Private views: Wednesday 21 May 6-8pm and Sunday 25 May 2-4pm.
 
 
 

Category: Art

From the end of this month, the sprawling environs of The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane will once again become home to Free Range, the leading (and largest) showcase for creative graduates across the land. The exhibitions open to the public on Friday 30th May and run for seven weeks until mid-July, presenting the work of over 3000 students across five disciplines: Design; Fashion; Photography; Art; Interiors and Architecture.

Arat Komsawadichai, Ravensbourne Photography

Amy Watts, University of Hertfordshire Fine Art

Aimee Lupin, Roehampton Photography

What with Graduate Fashion Week making the big move east to The Old Truman Brewery (I am very excited to have this showcase on our doorstep at last!), Brick Lane will be the place to spot emerging fashion talent this summer. Catwalk shows at Free Range come from Winchester School of Art, Coventry University, Regent’s College and University of Brighton.

Nara Lee, University of Brighton Fashion

All exhibitions are free to the general public. I can't wait to spot the newest design talent, and you can too. Check the website for opening times: www.free-range.org.uk Here are just a few of our reviews from Free Range 2013.

Category: Art

Laura Weston presents an exhibition of 40 vibrant Intaglio and Relief prints at Southbank Printmakers Gallery in Gabriel's Wharf. Laura Weston is the winner of the 2012 Artichoke Prize for the 8th British international Mini Print Tour. Her original prints are populated by trees, foxes, birds and the flora and fauna of 1920's garden suburbs. You can follow Laura on Twitter @laurawestonart.

Laura Weston,Seven Birds.

Laura Weston, Fox.

Laura Weston, Postcard collage.

Opening times: Mon To Fri & Sunday 11.30 – 6.30pm, Saturdays 10.00am – 8.00pm, Private View: Thursday 22 May at 6pm – 8pm

Category: Art

Is it For Now by Adam Hayes.

The Current is a group exhibition coinciding with the 10th Birthday of Bristol based Soma Gallery, and brings together the work of five contemporary graphic artists. Adam Bridgland, Matthew Green, Adam Hayes, Lucy Gough and Jessica Wilson have all exhibited widely throughout the UK and internationally and have completed major commissions for clients such as Nike, Uniqlo, the Guardian and You Tube. They are also held in a number of important collections like the Victoria and Albert and the British Museum. The Current is an exciting, fresh and vibrant exhibition showcasing recent works, including a number specially launched for this show.

Adam Hayes
Adam Hayes is a specialist in hand-rendered typography and intricate, intelligent illustration. His prolific work style has generated an impressive portfolio that reflects an interest in vernacular lettering and a fascination with urban and natural landscapes. Adam’s creative process see’s his simple pencil sketches transformed and refined into elaborate and optimistic illustration. Each project is concept-driven, allowing his work to grow and maintain a sense of energy and sophistication. A graduate of the Royal College of Art, Adam has since established a diverse client base which welcomes collaboration with global companies, charitable organisations and small, local start-ups.

Spin 1 by Adam Bridgland.

Adam Bridgland
Born in 1979, Adam Bridgland studied printmaking at Norwich School of Art & Design and then studied at the Royal College of Art (MA Fine Art Printmaking). Since graduating in 2006, Bridgland has used a diverse range of materials and working methods to pursue an incisive and often witty exploration of distinctively British sentiments, externalising the underlying sense of loss and nostalgia that permeates our memories.

Hut by Matthew Green.

Matthew Green
Matthew Green excels in producing beautifully hand-drawn illustrations, his signature style is often compared to wood-cut prints and etchings. Beyond this craftsmanship and at the heart of all of Matthew’s work lies an enormous sense of fun. He creates worlds and moments where fantasy can meet the most mundane; from a voyeuristic zebra who resides in an old wooden shed to a glamorous blue tit dining for one.

Balloon Fiesta by Lucy Gough.

Lucy Gough
Lucy Gough studied Creative & Cultural Studies at Norwich School of Art and since graduating in 2002 has exhibited extensively throughout the UK and beyond. Lucy’s most recent work draws inspiration from a variety of sources including architecture, industry and the solar system. The stylised representation of everyday objects and use of hand drawn type are recurrent themes in her artistic practice. The content of the text varies in its sentiment from poetic to purposeful to playfully ironic.

Great Britain by Jess Wilson.

Jess Wilson
Jess Wilson graduated in 2006 and has been living and working in London ever since. Graduating from university with a 1st degree honours in Graphic design she started straight away getting her illustration work out there. Jess has worked with top clients producing big jobs for magazines, clothing ranges, prints, books and packaging. As well as working with clients Jess tries to get involved in as many exhibitions as possible and carrying out self initiated projects.

Opening times: Monday: Closed, Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00am – 5:30pm, Sunday: Closed. Visit Soma Gallery online here.

Category: Art

Atomica Gallery presents Metamorphosis, the debut solo exhibition from the London-based Tasmanian artist and illustrator Nick Sheehy.

Metamorphosis is a collection of graphite and watercolour works on paper exploring change, death and imagination. Sheehy’s subjects include his signature double skull characters, animal skeletons and the dead awakened by courses of coloured, ribbon-like energy streaming through their static forms. His fantastical characters are the results of cathartic and meditative drawings, documenting the emotional state of a person whose life is in a period of flux.

Sheehy has already exhibited in group shows worldwide and his work has been featured in art publications such as Creative Review, Tiny Pencil and NoBrow.

Everyone is invited to the opening reception on Thursday 12th June at Atomica Gallery, 6-9pm. Join the Facebook event or rsvp@atomicagallery.com.

Category: Art

Illuminations is an exhibition of textual art showcasing the work of 21 international artists at the Black and Blue Gallery. Initially inspired by the poetry and illustrations of William Blake, the exhibition explores the volatile boundary between image and text and the haunting quality of their interplay.

JULIUS KALAMARZ: Philosophy of the Revolution

Headlining the show are the artists Robert Montgomery and Julius Kalamarz. Perhaps best known for his public billboards and light pieces, Robert’s work engages with 21st century consumerism through romantic and political poetry. The proactive and engaging quality of his words has gained considerable social media exposure, with messages such as The People You Love Become Ghosts Inside Of You And Like This You Keep Them Alive. Julius works primarily in mixed media and cultivates an experimental, tactile and open-hearted style. He seeks to ‘make strange’ the content of everyday language and imagery through its de-contectualization. This often culminates in collage-like pieces which bring up a new or enhanced meaning from within the fractures and fissures of the original message.

EVELIN KASIKOV: Exuberance Is Beauty.

The labyrinthine Crypt Gallery acts as the ideal setting for an exhibition that takes the viewer on a journey through photography, painting, sculpture, paper-cuts and textiles among others. A different understanding and exposition of the interaction between text and image awaits around every corner.

KERRY O'CONNOR: Weekend Wife.

Accompanying the work of the 21 artists are pieces by six UK based typographers who have created typographical works directly inspired by Blake’s poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, a modern homage to his groundbreaking visual spirit.

LINDENBERG MONROE: Words Into The Void.

Opening Times: Thursday 6pm-9pm (Private View, All Welcome), Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm