Discover 5 captivating exhibitions at London Gallery Weekend, delving into post-colonialism, nostalgia, activism, and immersive installations.
Summer is the season where London’s design, art and creative scene blossoms. Just last week the capital welcomed a successful Clerkenwell Design Week, featuring showrooms, talks and parties for architects, designers and all kinds of built-environment enthusiasts. This past weekend, however, was all about fine art. London Gallery Weekend, which happened from the 2nd to the 4th of June, saw some of London’s most prominent galleries exhibiting incredible artwork, hosting talks, and offering activities to the wider public. And whilst we won’t delve much into the latter, here are some of DDWs favourite artists on show.
Topia @ Unit London
23 May – 17 June 2023
Image courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
Rex Southwick’s solo exhibition, “Topia,” at Unit London, explores the landscape of Palm Springs without embellishment or connotation. Through large-scale canvas works, Southwick examines the mid-century and desert modern architecture of the iconic city, highlighting the interplay between man-made and natural environments. The exhibition delves into Palm Springs’ rich Native American history and reflects on the unseen labor that underpins its construction and maintenance. Southwick’s artworks capture the city’s illusions while featuring people at work, disrupting the idealized image. By shedding light on the behind-the-scenes aspects, “Topia” exposes the manufactured nature of seemingly perfect environments, emphasizing the individuals who contribute to their upkeep.
What is Power? @ Arcade
2 June – 9 July 2023
Images courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
Jeremiah Day’s exhibition, “What is Power?” at Flat Time House in partnership with Arcade, delves into the intersection of art, politics, and civic activism. Through photography, performance, text, and installation, Day explores the capacity of art to provoke civic engagement and reexamines political conflicts and resistances. The exhibition incorporates the writings of Fred Dewey, a democracy activist and artist, and features documentation of public readings of his work. Day also focuses on the Lowndes County Freedom Organisation, a significant African-American political effort in Alabama, and its impact on the Black Panther Party. The exhibition seeks to uncover and preserve the history of radical democracy while acknowledging the responsibility of discussing and depicting such narratives. Additionally, JoAnne Bland, a civil rights activist, contributes a special online talk on the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for voting rights.
Walking Back to Happiness @ TJ Boulting
9 May – 17 June 2023
Images courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
Maisie Cousin’s second solo exhibition at TJ Boulting, titled ‘Walking Back To Happiness’, showcases her distinct style of up-close, textured photographs that evoke a distorted sense of nostalgia. The images capture everyday objects such as vintage crisp packets, plastic toys, and discarded junk, transforming them into captivating still lifes that elicit both attraction and repulsion. Alongside these works, Cousin explores her childhood fascination with theme parks through a series that utilizes AI, delving into her memories and imagination. The resulting images tap into a sense of unease and uncertainty, creating provocative and addictive visual experiences that evoke a powerful mix of emotions.
Day Always Comes @ Corvi Mora
Che Lovelace, 27 April – 6 June 2023
Image courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
Che Lovelace’s first exhibition at Tommaso Corvi-Mora gallery showcases a collection of new paintings that interweave narratives of life, freedom, and post-colonialism in Trinidad, his homeland. Through abstracted landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, Lovelace creates a tapestry of imagery that captures the essence of Trinidadian culture. Initially hesitant to explore local iconography, the artist eventually embraced the vibrant landscapes, people, and colors of his surroundings. His artistic interventions, such as dividing the canvas and dissecting the picture plane, reflect the complex integration of cultural influences and the formation of a new Caribbean identity. Lovelace’s work delves into themes of postcolonialism, resistance, freedom, mythology, and nature, resulting in a nuanced expression of his own rooted sense of identity shaped by the spirit of the place.
Liminal Arts @ Outernet Lands
21 May – 16 July 2023
Image courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
Jakob Kudsk Steensen, a Danish artist, is presenting ‘Liminal Lands’ in a multi-channel format on the world’s largest wrap-around screens at Outernet Arts in Tottenham Court Road. The installation will be open to the public for free on Sundays from May 21 to July 16, 2023. ‘Liminal Lands’ depicts the salt marshes of southern France, capturing the collision of elemental energies in a hybrid reality. Steensen digitized real photographic elements collected during extensive fieldwork, creating a synchronized 3D composition that reveals the unseen macro- and microscopic ecosystems of the wetlands. The artwork utilizes slow media and deep listening to portray the transformative processes shaping life and technology, inviting viewers to explore the biodiversity and history of the wetlands. By immersing visitors in a virtual representation of the salt marshes, ‘Liminal Lands’ offers a ritualistic environmental experience that prompts a reevaluation of our connection to these often overlooked ecosystems.
Matter as Actor @ Lisson Gallery Lisson Street
3 May – 24 June 2023
Image courtesy of London Gallery Weekend
‘Matter as Actor’ is a group exhibition at Lisson Gallery that explores the active role of materials in shaping human and non-human interactions. Artists from diverse cultural backgrounds present artworks featuring clay, rock, pigment, plastic, metal, and organic substances as agents in complex relationships. The exhibition challenges the notion of nature as raw material for human use and acknowledges the unique properties and histories of materials. By incorporating multiple knowledge systems, the artworks reflect the pluralistic nature of contemporary existence. This exhibition invites viewers to reconsider their connection to the material world and its cultural significance.