Sebastian Thomas, Golem at Lot Projects – 16th-19th December – Back to that Hackney back-alley just behind Broadway Market, we covered the evolution of that space and that big black spider a few days back, last weekend saw the final show of the year in the rather refreshed gallery space. A solo show, an installation, new sculpture, collage, and painting, an artist called Sebastian Thomas. One last show and a “visual artist based in the deepest suburbs of West Reading”.

Another short sharp show, an opening night on a Friday evening, through the snow and the ice of the weekend and all done and dusted on a wet and windy Monday afternoon three days later. I like the way Sebastian has reacted to the space, to that red tiled floor that probably isn’t the most sympathetic – his olive green tiles work well with the space. I like his playing with the lines of those red tiles, I like that he went for an angle, that he broke up the lines of that slightly unfriendly red floor.      

An installation of new assembled metal and ceramic sculpture, collage and painting inspired by the parable of the Golem – “Golem – a being constructed of inanimate material such as dust or earth that frequently ends up being uncontrollable and serving as a metaphor and a cautionary tale against the hubris of man thinking they can create life”.

So we have paintings on the wall, we have bits of collage, the gallery is rather dominated by the assemblage on the red floor though, the sculpture (or the sculptures), the mass, the rawness of it all. I know nothing of Sebastian Thomas, new name to me as far as I know. I like this accumulation and assembling of printed materials, the found objects, discarded packaging, the building materials, I like how it all fits together, the way it leads the viewer’s eye, the way it engages. And yes, if we do just break it down, I rather like the paintings on the walls. There’s a personality here, a flow, a collection of objects and images, things given new life.  I like the way this works as one whole in this particular room – it might be accident but this is an excellent follow up to the previous show in the space. And I do like those paintings on their own. 

And once again the show has been and gone before these words go up on line, hey it was a three day show and there were other places to be on Friday evening, other artistic commitments over the weekend, and although, a point was made of going on Saturday morning, there really wasn’t time. it does feel right to be covering the evolution of this space though, to celebrate what we’ve found so far post that Tub aloofness, two fine shows in December. I liked this Sebastian Thomas show, I like his paintings, I like where he appears to be going. So far we’re rather enjoying Lot Projects. 

Links – Sebastian Thomas / Lot Projects / Lot Projects on Instagram      

As always, do click on an image to enlarge or to run te slde show.