Category Archives: London

London: Frieze Art Fair 2014 – Highlights

Frieze 2014

The leading international contemporary art fair, Frieze London, returns to the heart of the UK’s capital, London’s Regent’s Park, for its 12th edition.

This year’s event brings together 162 of the world’s top contemporary galleries in the UK and features exhibitors from 25 countries.

Artist Carsten Holler transformed the Gagosian booth into a giant and fun playground ‘Kinder Garten‘, with oversized dice and giant scrabble, where visitors were invited to squeeze a plush octopus, much to the children’s delight.

Frieze 2014     Frieze 2014
Frieze 2014

With a price tag of $300K,  Jamie Lee Byars created a pink silk ‘Hat for Ten” for the Michael Werner Gallery. Ten participants, all dressed in black, interact and collaborate in a form of contemporary dance, all connected through the hoods.

New York based artist Kaws was heavily present at the Perrotin Gallery, from his giant Companion sculptures to colourful canvases.

Frieze 2014     Frieze 2014     Frieze 2014

Brit artist Mark Wallinger selected works by different artists in order to recreate Sigmund Freud’s Hampstead study for the Hauser&Wirth booth. In the corner, oblivious to the dialogue between the conscious and unconscious, is Christoph Buchel ‘s Sleeping Guard. And for 80,000 Euros you can buy the concept, not the man.

Frieze 2014 Frieze 2014     Frieze 2014
Frieze 2014

The most expensive price tag goes to Damien Hirst at the White Cube Gallery. The two part work of fish in formaldehyde from 1993 ‘Because I can’t have you I want you’ sold for £4 millions within the first 15 minutes of the VIP opening.

Sunny smiley objects from Takura Kawata, Jayson Musson and the Smile Face Museum adorn the walls of the New York gallery Salon 94  with a canary-yellow floor, bringing a happy face to the visitors.

Frieze 2014Frieze 2014     Frieze 2014

Colour is also a big theme for several galleries, from Yves Klein and Jason Martin at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, to Steven Shearer & Lothar Hempel at Stuart Shave/Modern Art. 

Frieze
Frieze 2014    Frieze 2014Frieze 2014    Frieze 2014
Frieze 2014

View the full set of pics here

Frieze Art Fair
13- 18 October 2014
Regent Park, London

London: Jonas Burgert – Stuck Hirn Blind

Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind

This week London is being taken over by the art world as Frieze kicks off, so we attended the first London solo show of German painter Jonas Burgert in over five years, following his last exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in 2006.

‘STÜCK HIRN BLIND’ (Poison Against Time) at Blain|Southern gallery features monumental paintings illustrating the meaning of existence through apocalyptic scenes with unearthly creatures, amazons, skeletons, animals, as well as bronze sculptures.

Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind     Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind  Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind  Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind   Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn BlindJonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind     Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind     Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind     Jonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn BlindJonas Burgert - Stuck Hirn Blind

View the full set of pics here

Jonas Burgert – Stuck Hirn Blind
Until 22 November 2014
Blain|Southern gallery
Hanover Square, London

London: Yoshitomo Nara @ Dairy Art Centre

Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center

London’s Dairy Art Centre is presenting a major solo exhibition by the Japanese contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara. This is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition in the UK to date and is featuring seminal pieces by the artist, many of which have never been shown before in the UK including paintings, sculptures, and a unique retrospective of Nara’s drawings spanning 30 years.

Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center     Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center     Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center     Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art CenterYoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center
Yoshitomo Nara - Dairy Art Center
View the full set of pics here

 Yoshitomo Nara
Until 14 December 2014
The Dairy Art Centre London  

London: Ludo – Chaos Theory

Ludo - Chaos Theory

Following our recent studio visit (see here), we attended the solo exhibition ‘Chaos Theory‘ of French artist Ludo at Lazarides Rathbone in London. Live butterflies were fluttering during the opening much to the delight of onlookers. Inspired by the theory of “The Butterfly Effect,” Ludo decided to focus on a more personal interpretation of his cultural inspirations with a selection of neon green and monochrome canvases.

Ludo - Chaos Theory     Ludo - Chaos TheoryLudo - Chaos TheoryLudo - Chaos TheoryLudo - Chaos TheoryLudo - Chaos Theory  Ludo - Chaos Theory   Ludo - Chaos TheoryLudo - Chaos Theory

View the full set of pics here

Ludo – Chaos Theory
Lazarides Rathbone, London
Until 15 November 2014

London: Word To Mother & Beau Stanton @ Stolenspace

Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed

Stolenspace is celebrating a duo show this week with UK based artist Word To Mother ‘Too Blessed To Be Stressed’ and Brooklyn based artist Beau Stanton ‘Tenebras Lux’.
‘Too Blessed to Be Stressed’ presents a selection of multi-layered paintings on wood and antique paper featuring WTM’s bespoke iconography and positive word play with contemplative figures, cartoon references and London architectural landscapes.

“I wanted to express a positivity and appreciation for everything we have, rather than comparing ourselves and our lives to anyone else’s. The glorification of instant celebrity status, vacuous reality television and narcissistic Instagram accounts are contributing to an ever growing Comparison-Culture in which people are more concerned with what they don’t have than what they have already been blessed with.”

Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressedWord to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed     Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed    Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed  Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressedWord to Mother - Too blessed to be stressedWord to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed      Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressedWord to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed      Word to Mother - Too blessed to be stressed

In the Gallery 2,  former apprentice for Pop Iconoclast Ron English, Beau Stanton has created a  new body of work inspired by the imagery and techniques found in sacred spaces: stained glass windows, elaborate oil paintings, and ornamented sacred objects using medieval techniques alongside contemporary digital media.  Cleverly manipulating light and shadow, the finished artworks result in vividly illuminated images appearing like religious icons.

Beau Stanton - Tenebras LuxBeau Stanton - Tenebras Lux      Beau Stanton - Tenebras LuxBeau Stanton - Tenebras LuxBeau Stanton - Tenebras LuxBeau Stanton - Tenebras Lux      Beau Stanton - Tenebras Lux

View the full set of pics here

Word To Mother – Too Blessed To Be Stressed
Beau Stanton – Tenebras Lux
Until 02 Nov 14
17 Osborn Street, London E1 6TD