Five more, the next five recommended art things then, an ongoing regular series of parish notices, things that have been brought to our attention that we think worthy of bringing to yours, things that have passed our way, five art things, mostly London things for that is where we are for now.  Five things we think are worth recommending (we being working artists who like to go check out as much art as we can where were not in here throwing paint or pruning leaves). Art excites, going to art shows excites, we love exploring art, “can’t be bothered” are not the words you will hear here, we’ll leave the man in hat to say things like that when we tell him about forthcoming art shows.. Here then, in no particular order, are your latest five recommended things (the previous five recommendations are probably still relevant, do go have a look), and once again, if you think there’s something we should be telling us, feel free to tell us….

Your five then

1: ALEXANDER CHAPPELL – Nobody at Stolen Space –  Alexander Chappell is an artist and designer from London. While the two disciplines are very different, Chappell has a simple explanation about how he finds a balance; as a designer he answers questions, and as an artist he gets to ask them.  This wasn’t always the case. Until recent years Chappell created work under the pseudonym ‘Twiy’ a persona he felt he needed to clearly separate art from design in his own mind. But as his career as a designer developed a bridge between the two disciples began to emerge. Chappell‘s design work is focused on consumers emotional connection to brands and it’s his work in this area that’s led to a growing interest in human behaviour. While he may not always have all the answers, it’s in his art that he seeks them.

“Art is a conversation whereas design always needs a solution. Working on something where the results are open-ended is a cathartic experience for me and by observing others through portraiture I get to study people which feeds back directly to my work as a designer”.

The core question at the heart of his debut exhibition ‘Nobody’ is whether a society that focuses so much on the external material world is losing touch with more basic human needs. The exhibition is a counter to some of society’s increasingly narcissistic tendencies epitomised by selfie culture and the pursuit of social media fame.The lure of 15 seconds in the spotlight is contrasted by a group of people who like Chappell have all worked under pseudonyms at some point or rarely shown their faces.

“It’s been fascinating working with this group of ‘writers’ there are some real characters but one thing that’s really stood out is how comfortable everyone is in their own skin no matter what anyone might think of them. You can tell that they’ve found the right paths for themselves and those paths haven’t been carved by seeking approval from anyone else. The artists I’ve drawn directly oppose the transient reality of todays short-cut celebrity culture where talent substance or hard work are second to a big ego or big arse.”

StolenSpace is at 17 Osborn Street, London, E1 6TD.  (top of Brick Lane, just off Whitechapel and around the corner from Whitechapel gallery).  The Alexander Chappell show runs from November 3rd to November 19th 2017. The opening reception is Thursday 2nd November, 6-9pm.

2: SOMETHING AND NOTHING is currently happening, a rather fluid looking group show curated by Nicky Hirst at Thames-Side Studios Gallery  over in Greenwich and featuring Matt Calderwood, Simon Callery, Angela de la Cruz, Vincent Hawkins, Nicky Hirst, Sara Mackillop – “I think all six artists in the exhibition are very practical dreamers. They are attracted to materials, processes, possibility and serendipity, and less concerned about outcomes. However – the outcomes are usually beautifully poised, humorous and strangely satisfying works of art.’ – Nicky Hirst​. The show runs until 5th November 2017, open Thursday-Sunday 12-6pm, and by appointment.  Thames-Side Studios Gallery, Thames-Side Studios, Harrington Way, Warspite Rd, Greenwich, London SE18 5NR.

For more things overseas in south of the river,  do check out South London Art Map, always a useful source of art information..

3: PAUL CATHERALL – Brutalism | Modernism –  “We have a monumental exhibition coming up in November, we hope you can join us for the opening” so say the people at the consistently rewarding Eames Fine Art Gallery over in Bermondsey. Paul Catherall’s show Brutalism | Modernism opening with an evening view on November 8th (6pm – 8.30pm). The exhibition continues on 9th November until 3rd December, Eames Fine Art Gallery is at 58 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UD

This new exhibition explores Paul’s fascination for the sublime concrete giants of Brutalist and Modernist architecture. Recognised for his distinctive bold colour, sharp line and monumental shapes; Paul is a master of linocut printmaking. His work should already be familiar to you – not only has Paul exhibited with Eames Fine Art in mixed and studio shows before but his original visions of iconic London buildings and skylines are regularly used for London Transport posters: his bold linocuts are a recognisable part of the London Transport brand and capture the dynamism of the city beautifully. “I have an obsession with creating architectural linocuts, particularly of London. From the very beginning I have been drawn time and again to its Brutalist and Modernist gems – the National Theatre and Telecom Tower. The process of deciding on composition and colour is painstaking. I suppose you could say that through the abrupt crops, Vorticist-inspired semi-abstract forms and precise use of palette, I’m attempting to create my own visual identity of the capital.”

 

4: ALLY McINTYRE  Decaf Honey – A solo show at Jealous East 2nd-19th November.  “Ally McIntyre returns to London shores with ‘Decaf Honey’, marking a new departure in the young artists work. After two sell-out solo shows with Jealous, Ally returns to Jealous East with a new body of work, bringing botanical elements together with her distinctive mark-making and her signature alluring colour palette to examine the resiliency of nature and human-kind.  Please join us for the Private View on Thursday 2nd November from 6.30-8.30pm- as always all welcome!  The show runs until 19th November at Jealous East, Curtain Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3PT

5: THE (ACCIDENTAL) MARKS MADE WHILE MAKING ART is an on-line group show hosted by London’s now nomadic Cultivate Gallery and Organ magazine and curated by Sean Worrall.

The (Accidental) Marks Made While Making Art will be another cultivated on-line art show, following on from the rather successful Red, Black and Blue shows/experiments. The accidental marks made while making art are always intriguing, the floors of artist’s studios, their boots or dresses or shirts, the outside wall that a canvas might have been propped against while it was being painted on. This on-line show will feature photographs of studio floors, paint covered boots, colour encrusted easels, old paint brushes, painting tables, painting marks, all the marks artists accidental make while making their art.  the accidental marks made as a result of making art, the stains on studio floors, old brushes, the marks once the performance is over…. The show will go live via  Cultivate Gallery and Organ magazine websites at 6pm (UK time) on Monday November 6th. There’s a Facebook event page here with updates.