I’d like to offer my apologies to those of you wondering why there was no Roundup yesterday. It’s because I only saw six shows in London last week (Only six? What a loser!) before sneaking down to Margate with my GF for a spur of the moment coastal getaway. We clocked up 50,000 steps and a few blisters exploring the coastline — Margate to Broadstairs is a beautiful walk! — and also managed to visit nine galleries and arts venues, but I was “off the clock” during our trip. I quite enjoyed browsing the local arts scene w/o having to wonder how I’d write about it, but if you must know, have a read of my Margate review from a few years ago. It still holds true.
Now that I’m back in London I’m trying to figure out where to direct my pre-Frieze focus by slowly working my way through the 195 “Look at me!” gallery and PR emails that I received last week. #FirstWorldProblems
Recent writing:
My latest long form writing includes an artist interview I conducted as part of my partnership with The Smallest Gallery in Soho, along with the latest edition of my monthly Why I Like It column, featuring a work from my private collection. Enjoy!
Arist Interview: Marta Corada
Marta Corada discusses her installation at The Smallest Gallery in Soho.
Why I Like It: ultraviolence (2021) by Kate Dunn
This month’s edition features three paintings in one.
What else, and what didn’t make the cut?
I left D Contemporary somewhat underwhelmed and wishing I had seen more, and it turns out I should have. The person at the desk on the day that I went told me that there wasn’t anything to see upstairs, so I left having seen only half the show. Dammit! 😤 Now I have to go back.
Turner Prize — Sadly, all the negative reviews are spot-on accurate but you should probably go see this anyway, ideally as the +1 of someone who has a membership. I wouldn’t pay to see this show. Claudette Johnson’s portraits are far and away the best works but they’re very traditional, so I suspect the prize will go to Jasleen Kaur for her installation that looks like an airport hotel ballroom the morning after a coming of age party, but before the cleaning crew have finished tidying up.
NOPE
The most exciting thing at Alison Jacques was an antique Eames chair they put out for the invigilator in the basement, and Flowers (Cork St) made my inner sarcastic voice go “Ooooh… look at the pretty trees! {Yawn}.”
NOW ENDED
British Art Fair — I loved the top floor full of digital weirdness (which wasn’t actually good, just weird) and all the solo booths, which were actually good.
Parked II was a community art exhibit that spread two dozen works across two small Clerkenwell parks. The organisers somehow managed to place one Tracey Emin and two Lyndsey Mendick’s alongside a handful of pieces that looked like they might have come out of the local recycling bins. It was a crazy mix. I hope they do this every year!
Anonymous Art Anecdotes
I recently had a chance encounter with someone who told me that they worked in one of the major London galleries. I asked in what capacity and my surprised reaction amused both of us. I was not expecting to hear the word psychotherapist.
I visit so many galleries that are essentially sole trader operations that I simply don’t associate “HR” with the art world. But I also quite easily forget that a lot of the major players employ many, many more names than the one on the sign above the door. Having heard and read so many art world horror stories about poor working conditions, it was lovely to hear this person compliment how well their employer treats their staff.
Of course, what I really wanted to ask was why an art gallery needs to employ a psychotherapist in the first place. I mean, how hard can it be spending all day selling overpriced art to multimillionaires? Maybe it’s not the staff that needs counselling, but the thin-skinned artists on the roster who can’t deal with critics dismissing their work?
Looking ahead…
A few things I’m going to try to visit this week include:
Enchanted Alchemies: Magic, Mysticism, and the Occult in Art @ Lévy Gorvy Dayan — 01 Oct - 21 Dec
Alexis Peskine @ October Gallery — 03 Oct – 09 Nov
Something Quickening @ Panrucker Gallery — 04-19 Oct
Gusty Ferro @ TACO — 4 Oct – 17 Nov
As it is @ Commonage Projects — 05 Oct - 02 Nov
The Gallery Entry Game
How many of you are actively looking before you walk in the gallery?
Here’s this week’s challenge. Have you been through that accordion door?
Go on… have a guess! The answer will be in next week’s newsletter.
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Last week’s gallery was… Lungley. Only two of my readers knew that and one of them was the gallery owner. Don’t feel too bad, they only moved to their new venue back in May and like wedding gift etiquette you have a full year to visit before things start to get awkward. But why wait? Visit 37 Foley Street, W1W 7TN for art & pizza. Separately.
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!