Category Archives: REVIEWS

Slinkachu X Andipa Gallery "Concrete Ocean".

Slinkachu takes figures from miniature train sets and painstakingly modifies them so that they can be used as part of his almost invisible world.

He creates comical, satirical and sometimes slightly dark scenes with these figures, places them all over the world, shoots them with spectacular quality and then leaves them to become part of the scenery.

The first of this series was “the little people project” the photos were formed into a lovely little hard cover book produced in 2008. I purchased a copy of it and was suitably impressed with the content and quality of print.

This left us very excited for the new show “Concrete ocean”, hosted by the Andipa Gallery in South Kensington. It had been two years since Slinkachu hosted a show in London and when it comes to most artists after such a period of time you would expect to see significant progression in their body of work. This however was not the case with the Slinkachu show, but it really didn’t matter. The gallery was laid out with huge high quality prints showing the detail of the characters and the photographs almost bring them to life. The large prints were accompanied by very small location shots to show you just how much they disappear into their surroundings.

Andipa Gallery is a large space located in a very upper class area, totally different to the Hackney / Shoreditch spaces we are used to attending, yet it seem more than suitable for this body of work, it was extremely well organised and the 3d installations were well spaced so you could appreciate the minute detail.

It would come as a surprise to us if this show did not make you smile, laugh and sometimes feel just that little bit sad.

Check out our huge collection of shots from the evening here:

Slinkachu

Amar Stewart X Lava Gallery

Amar Stewart steps up to the Lava gallery for his first solo show of 2011.

We first viewed Amar’s work in the East Gallery in early 2010, the show had dark undertones, accented with sections of colour, A mixture of spray paint and acrylic. A different approach has been taken this time, the entire gallery almost devoid of colour, a series of large canvases featuring Black and white photorealistic portraits.

This was a understated approach for show early in the year and to be honest, a welcome one.  It is easy to feel bombarded when you attend opening nights, peering through crowds to look at large canvases. Lava gallery is only a small space located on the first floor of Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street.

Amar and the Lava crew did a great job laying out the space, taking a simplistic approach with the arrangement going with white walls and monochrome artworks.  It had a overall relaxed vibe, even with droves of friends and fans, it was easy to move around and check out all the work.

Amar’s progression in portraiture is developing a rapid rate and we look forward to seeing what he has to offer in the future.

Check out a the rest of the pics here: Amar Stewart at Lava gallery by Chasinghosts on Flickr

Joram Roukes & Sean Madden at Signal gallery

I managed to get to see the current group show at Signal gallery and I am glad I did. The shows called Mixed doubles presents works from Dan Baldwin, John Squire, Andrew Mc Attee, Sean Madden and Joram Roukes.

While I am familiar with the first three artists mentioned, I did not know much about the two latter ones – Sean Madden and Joram Roukes and what a shame that is as these two have got very strong and powerful works on display.

Joram Roukes – oil on canvas
Like Dan Baldwin, Joram Roukes does figurative paintings but unlike Baldwin’s works, Roukes’ color palette is lighter making the whole composition a lot less intense. But looking at what those paintings depict – series of layered figures, completely at random – you get for example what looks like a human body but with a bear’s head or a dog’s one, looks closer and you will notice the back stabbed with the back of an aircraft on fire; Joram Roukes’ paintings also have got an intensity in them.

You will have got it by now, Joram Roukes work will probably appear ridiculous to some but also and most probably like a joy for more people. Funny and intriguing could summarize what this is all about.

Sean Madden – bronze sculpture
I did not pay much attention to this artist when I first read about this show, I could blame on the gallery for actually not mentioning an awful lot about him but I should have made my own research so we call it a draw. We are looking here at sculptures work. Not a fan of these type of work, Sean Madden is certainly one of these artists that will make you like sculpture or at least take a closer look at it.

His sculptures for this show are tiny but yet so powerful. The display put together by Signal definitely does some good to emphasize the beauty of these sculptures. When you spot them, you cannot stop looking at them. What could be an angel is hanging above the other sculptures and give the whole installation a mystical dimension.

I have also included pictures of some of Andrew Mc Attee’s and John Squire’s artworks

The show runs until the 5th March 2011

Related links
Joram Rouke’s website – joramroukes.blogspot.com
Sean Madden’s website – http://contemporarybronze.com

ROA at Black Rat Press

On my way to BRP (Black Rat Press), I knew I was up for a treat. I knew I would hang out for a while and enjoy ROA’s installation.

What makes ROA so popular is definitely his unique style – (very often) large black and white scale wildlife animals made of spray paint but also his ability in putting together quite clever installation integrating his wildlife characters. Flip out/ flip in some wood panels or just walk round and get a new angle on the installation and you can now see something completely different, the inside of the animals or the outside in this case.

ROA at Black Rat PressROA at Black Rat Press

ROA at Black Rat PressROA at Black Rat Press

We appreciated also ROA’s effort to push its creativity further by integrating x-rays light effect in one of his work. Close the flap and you see the fur of the animal, open it and the inside of the animal is revealed with an X-ray effect (see below)

ROA at Black Rat PressROA at Black Rat Press

ROA’s wildlife is powerful and definitely worth seeing with your own eyes. More pictures of the installation below.

The show is now over.

ROA at Black Rat Press

ROA at Black Rat Press

ROA at Black Rat Press

ROA at Black Rat Press

ROA at Black Rat Press

Remi Rough at Blackall studios: abstract-ive

I have always been sceptical about abstract art, never knowing whether I like it or not. I can enjoy it but can rarely get ecstatic about it. Well Remi Rough and the likes of Augutine Kofie or Jaybo Monk are maybe about to radically change this.

They are (and a few others – find out who here) are members of what is called the urban abstract movement which has for starting point the reshape of letters of the alphabet and their integration into an urban context – find out more here

A exhibition presents us with works from Remi Rough and Steve More but I will here focus on Rough’s stuff and what an amazing display I had in front of my eyes!

Rough’s mix of shapes and forms combined with an excellent choice of colors make his works come alive. The perspective he manages to bring to his compositions seems to give some sort of pace to the whole thing making it anything but boring.

I may be well on track to love this stuff and ask to see more of it.

The show is now over.

PS: You will excuse the so-so quality of the pictures below but I had to use my i-phone that day.

Remi Rough at Blackall Studios
Remi Rough at Blackall StudiosRemi Rough at Blackall Studios
Remi Rough at Blackall Studios
Remi Rough at Blackall Studios