Another week, another twenty shows. I suspect that’ll be my pace until November but even then it might not be enough to catch everything that’s scheduled to open because every gallery and their mother is gearing up for Frieze week. There’s gonna be some good shows but I suspect a lot more will turn out to be disappointing. You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m bloody lucky to be able to go see them all.
I’ve been thinking about that a lot recently, prompted by some gallery and artist discussions where I’ve been asked about the trends I’m seeing. Most people in the art industry are so busy doing what they do that they rarely get to explore beyond their own bubble. Whereas I probably see more shows in any given week than some people see all year. It’s a great way to understand the range of art on offer, and to explore London.
This year alone I’ve already been to 363 different venues, many of them multiple times, like the five galleries in this week’s Roundup. They’re all venues that I frequent because they consistently present good shows and have incredibly friendly owners/staff. Have you been to these galleries or seen their shows? Read the latest Roundup to get my thoughts and let me know what you think in the comments.
Issue 124
Three surreal and somewhat spooky shows offset by two soothing nature-based exhibits. Featuring: Carolein Smit and Iain Andrews at James Freeman Gallery; Masayoshi Nojo at JD Malat; Gokcen Yuksek at BSMT Space; Georgie Hopton at Lyndsey Ingram; Mei Mei at The Smallest Gallery in Soho. Plus two more Honourable Mention Artworks.
Read the full issue online for mini-reviews of each show, with 32 photos!
More Reviews:
Degree show season has now officially ended, since C&G has finished their MA show. I was there to spot some themes and pick out my nine favourites.
City & Guilds MA Show 2024
It was a pleasure to encounter so many artists unafraid to be amusing.
What else, and what didn’t make the cut?
Annely Juda is displaying the shortlisted works for their 7th annual David and Yuko Juda Art Foundation Grant, curated by Peter Doig. I’m confused why the award went to costume design, but to be fair it’s a privately funded charity so they can do what they want. Besides, most of the paintings submitted weren’t very worthy.
For the tech heads, Gazelli Art House is showing works made or made possible by computer code, and Fiumano Clase is showcasing Dr. Sam Burford’s latest explorations in transforming cinema into static abstracts, alongside the output of his growing fascination with AI and machine learning.
At No. 9 Cork Street, the Lehman Maupin invigilator was giving everyone dismissive looks, which was exactly my reaction to the bathroom mosaic tile artwork they displayed. The group show across the street at Goodman (now ended) wasn’t much better, nor was the random set of mostly photo-reproductions at Ben Brown Fine Arts. They had up a nice Tony Bevin painting though.
Gagosian on Davies Street is also showing photos. Save yourself a trip and look at them online, but I recommend you go see the manipulated images from Maya Golyshkina at Seventeen. They’re better than I expected, and a lot more fun than the retro style airbrushed works in the front room (by a different artist).
I also really dug the series of tiny paint swatches at Ronchini, but I ignored the artist’s jumbo hazy figurative (blech) and spent most of my time wondering why they decided to build a false wood panel wall in the gallery. If you do like hazy figurative then rush right out to Lamb London where everything looks better when you squint. Over at Soho Revue they gave the entire ground floor to C. Lucy R. Whitehead who I think is exploring an interesting concept, but it doesn’t yet seem fleshed out enough to warrant a full solo. The 2nd floor selection of up-and-coming artists was much more varied and interesting.
And finally, if you want to be depressed about the state of the industry head to Saatchi Yates, showing the work of an “artist” who has gone on the record about his work by saying: “I don’t even know why people want this shit. I wouldn’t buy this shit. I just have no interest in my art.” And yet, as of Tuesday morning, 342 of the 1,000 canvasses being sold for £1,000 have been snapped up. I’m pretty sure the unofficial Saatchi Yates motto is a Dr. John Bridges quote.
Anonymous Art Anecdotes
One of the works pictured in this week’s Roundup is now part of my private collection.
Nope. Not gonna say which one. 🤷🏼♂️
Looking ahead…
In addition to a growing backlog, here’s a few new shows I’m going to try to visit this week:
Lucy Neish & Rebecca Halliwell Sutton - On Folding Ground @ Night Cafe — 18 Sept - 11 Oct
Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum: It Will End In Tears @ Barbican Curve — 18 Sep - 05 Jan 2025
Tracey Emin @ White Cube Bermondsey — 19 Sept – 10 Nov
Hard Graft: Work, Health and Rights @ Wellcome Collection — 19 Sept - 27 April, 2025
Fishy Business @ Air Contemporary Gallery, Ham Yard, Soho — 20 Sept - 05 Oct
The Gallery Entry Game
I know many of my readers pay very close attention to the details in the art they see. But how many of you are ‘actively looking’ before you walk in the gallery?
Here’s this week’s challenge. Don’t know? Have a guess! Go on…
Good luck! The answer will be in next week’s newsletter.
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Last week’s answer:
My readers are very clever! 84% of you knew that the “white cube” on top of that old warehouse was actually put there by Victoria Miro. Congratulations to everyone who knew and/or guessed correctly! Will you be visiting them to see the new Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room? Only if you got lucky. Tickets are now fully booked!
What else would you like to see / read / know?
Thanks for making it all the way to the end of my Newsletter. Did you like what you read? Was there something else you expected? Leave an comment and let me know!