Five art things, on we go then and never mind whatever we said last time, that was then, this, once again is about this week and next and needing more (just more, nothing less) and yes you are right. Here, for what any of this is worth are five more art things. Five art things, five more art things happening somewhere around right now (or any moment now). Five art shows to check out in the coming days. We do aim to make this an (almost) weekly round up of recommended art events, five shows, exhibitions or things we rather think might be worth checking out. Mostly London things for that is where we currently operate and explore, and like we said last time, these five recommendations come with no claims that they are “the best five” or the “Top Five”, we’re not one of those annoying art websites that ignore most things whilst claiming to be covering everything and proclaiming this or that to be the “top seven things” or the “best things this weekend”. This Five Things thing is simply a regular list of five or so recommended art things happening now or coming up very soon that we think you might find as interesting as we think we will…

And we should add, that entry to these recommended exhibitions and events, unless otherwise stated, is free.

1: Blek le Rat, War & Peace at Woodbury House – Just opened and on until 31st July 2024 – I guess Banksy might be casting an eye and shopping for ideas, I guess that was a cheap shot but then the who what where and well “Woodbury House is delighted to announce the highly anticipated exhibition, ‘War & Peace’ by Blek le Rat, often referred to as “the father of stencil graffiti”. Comprising 50 new paintings and prints, the exhibition aims to give the viewer a personal insight into Blek’s relationship with conflict, one that is heavily shaped by his childhood experiences growing up in post-war France, where family dinners were accompanied by tales of wartime suffering, drawn from his father’s first-hand accounts of combat and captivity during the First and Second World Wars.

Of these experiences, and the many conflicts he has witnessed since, the artist says, “Reflecting on my life, I realise that since my childhood, I have only known wars around me. I have been a passive witness…. I was lucky not to have had to fight. I had this privilege compared to other men. Despite this, wars have left their mark on me like an obsession that renews itself.”

Taken from Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel of the same name, the ‘War & Peace’ exhibition at Woodbury House sees Blek Le Rat explore humanity’s dichotomous state of being – of security and instability, harmony and hostility, resilience and torment, life and death – confessing, “I am both fascinated and disgusted by war”.

Blek has drawn inspiration from centuries of conflict – from the Middle Ages to the present day – in the hope of portraying the consistent theme of futile sacrifice that underlines the human condition. A highlight of the exhibition, the ‘Stallion of Sacrifice’ series features a Persian warrior on horseback. The signature stencil work is based on a piece the artist saw on a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and which he felt perfectly embodied the universal soldier – powerful but, ultimately, vulnerable.

For over forty years, Blek has worked in and with dynamic urban landscapes. His artistic process, which sees him navigate these changing and challenging environments, is akin to a game of chess, where every move reveals new restrictions, opportunities, and narratives. The artist’s decades-long experience in these shifting landscapes feeds into his exploration of the unpredictability of war, and more broadly, the uncertainty of our lives.  It has also influenced the creative choices made around the scale and format of the works in ‘War & Peace’, considerations which Blek says, “…were particularly important in this exhibition, as they enhance the impact of my message.”

Of the forthcoming exhibition, Joseph Bannan, Partner, and Curator of Woodbury House says, “Each piece in ‘War & Peace’ is a testament to Blek’s commitment to infusing life into every canvas, drawing viewers into a world where history converges with contemporary consciousness.” Summing up his hope for the exhibition – to begin a meaningful conversation with the viewer – Blek le Rat says, “I am curious to know what ‘War & Peace’ means to you.”

Woodbury House is found at 29 Sackville Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 3DX. open Monday to Friday, 10am until 6pm (5pm on Friday). The show Just opened and on until 31st July 2024 – “Please note Woodbury House is by invitation & appointment only. For sales enquiries or to book a private appointment please get in touch” – which probably means we won’t, appointment only galleries, who needs it…

2: Miriam de Búrca, Noblesse Oblige at Cristea Roberts Gallery – 21st June until 27th July 2024 – “Cristea Roberts Gallery is delighted to announce Miriam de Búrca’s first solo exhibition in the UK” so it says here. The show opened yesterday, we don’t always need the opening night though do we? There’s always people standing in the way of the art. “Noblesse Oblige features over 25 new works exploring the legacies of systems of coercion, exploitation and extraction in Europe and the US. It includes a series of new drawings about burial sites in Ireland designated for those considered ‘unsuitable’ for consecrated ground, and glass works made using an historic artform of etching into gilded gold leaf, depicting contemporary landscapes devastated by ecological disasters and recently toppled imperial statues. These themes raise questions about our need, as individuals and nations, to confront the consequences of unhindered institutional power that is now more destructive than ever.

Noblesse Oblige, a nineteenth-century French expression, refers to the obligation of the upper classes to perform duties that the disadvantaged could not. In a contemporary context, de Búrca uses this title to highlight the responsibility of those born into privilege to examine the lineage of their social and economic advantage over others, calling them to action to restore balance.

“I take inspiration from reportage that bears witness to events signifying the current state of systemic and ecological turmoil. Representing these moments from within the aesthetic and material confines of verre églomisé – an artform that harks back to the very power structures that have brought us to this point of existential reckoning – I am joining in the call to confront this legacy, and ultimately to prompt discussion about where we want to take things from here.” Miriam de Búrca.

Cristea Roberts Gallery is found at 43 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5JG. The gallery is open Tuesday through to Saturday, 11am until 5.30pm (11am until 2pm on Saturdays)

3: Here There be Monsters at Safehouse 1, Peckham, London SE15 – 27th until 30th June – Back to Peckham and will the leaves still be there? Never mind that, fresh from her part in Mixtape No.7, Kika Sroka-Miller is part of an artist-led group show of painters and “navigating territories of non-knowing, the five artists in this exhibition seek to redefine our understanding of limits, extolling the possibility of arriving elsewhere. Drawing inspiration from the concept of the brink – that unnerving zone on the periphery of our awareness – this collection of works invites viewers to contemplate the inevitable slippage between boundaries that define fixed notions of object, space and body”.

The exhibition features the work of Sarah Barker Brown, Benedict Johnson, Jolene Liam, Gill Roth, and Kika Sroka-Miller and The gloriously distressed Peckham Safehouse is found at 137 Copeland Road, Peckham, London SE15 3SN. There’s a Private View on Thurs 27th June 6pm – 9pm, the show runs from 27th until 30th June, the space is open midday until 6pm each day.

4: Primordial Realms (Gaia x Uranus) at Galleria Objets – 21st June until 3rd July 2024 – Primordial Realms is a group exhibition presenting the work of 14 artists who work in a range of disciplines. The title of the show makes an oblique reference to something being at its beginning. In Greek Mythology, Gaia was the personification of Earth and was described as being the mother of all. Uranus was an offspring of Gaia and is attributed as representing the  sky.  The elemental “dance” which ensued between Gaia and Uranus sparked the genesis of the cosmos . Featured artists: Alexander Aitken, Esther Palmer, Gini Dickinson, Greame Smith, Hans Stofer, Kyle Ramsey, Marco Plinio, Melloney Harvey, Michael Robertson, Rachel Gordon, Rob Weir , Ottilie Winfield Wilenski, Tom Parker, Will Peck. Who knows what we’re going to find but in a week where we’re struggling to find five we really strongly wish to recommend, sometimes it is just about walking into a group show and finding new exciting artists, there was a number I hadn’t heard of until that Secret Salon show at a Safehouse until happened last weekend

Galleria Objets is at 92 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RL. The space is open Wednesday to Sunday, opening hours seem to be all over the place depending on the day, between 1pm and 6pm seems like a good bet.

5: Karen Davies, Notes to Self at the Space Pop Up space – 28th June until Sunday 30th June with a so called private view on Thursday 27th June (6-8pm) – Another artist who has figured in at least one of Cultivate’s Mixtape shows, In 2020, artist Karen Davies began to write messages to herself during lockdown. Initially conceived as a tool for motivation and self-care, these notes developed into a series on Instagram, which continues to grow. This is the first time the work is being brought together for an exhibition that examines the creative process and the critical inner voices that both help and hinder art and life. Is the Space Pop Up space becoming a little more user friendly? Have Space become a tiny bit more artist friendly? Probably not, it is a largly wasted space when London needs artist-friendly art spaces.

SPACE Pop-Up is found on the triangle at 129 Mare Street, London Fields, Hackney, London E8 3RH

Coming up… This just announced, The Art Car Boot Fair is heading out west, West London, almost under the Westway – “THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC – POST ELECTION DAY PARTY – ART CAN BOOT FAIR #ALLSTARS 20 fabulous artist and stellar DJ line-up – full announcement next week! #whitecitysummerseries Tickets via the Art Car Boot Fair website or here, a fiver on the door. Book now to avoid disappointment” Really hope we have something to celebrate…. This year’s main event in terms of the Art Car Boot Fair happens in London at Kings Cross on September 7th

And while we’re here, shall we say it one more time?

Cultivate presents Mixtape No.7 – Mixtape No.7 is still open, the latest Cultivate online group show, 43 artists and over 250 pieces of art to explore, here’s the link, the show is hosted here on the Organ website, we’ll let the art do the talking – Cultivate presents Mixtape No.7 – an online art exhibition…