Yeah, I know, we didn’t do the Five Art Things thing last week, someone phoned the studio to complain. some weeks it really is hard to get fired up about art shaped things and well am I finally falling out of love with the whole conservative (small c) well behaved increasingly by-the-book London art scene? We have been to lots of shows this year, we’ve been to a fair few exhibitions and such in the last couple of weeks, been to a couple that weren’t actually open when they said they would be (something that happens way too often in London, especially the day after an opening night). We’re not really going to come up with Five Things just for the sake of it, it has to be real, it has to excite us, ignite us, we can’t just tick boxes and churn it out with any kind of passion for it and very few art shows in the last few weeks have really seriously demanded we write about them.

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 cake 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: Anne Pigalle, The Soho Connection at Farsight Collective, Denmark Street Gallery –  “You’ve been warned , the action against apathetic London starts here” so says Anne, “An exhibition ‘The Soho Connection’ from May 29th to June 11th off Denmark St at Farsight Collective with a Q&A with Chris Salewicz on the 6th of June, and with other events that will happen there too during that time, culminating with an music concert evening in Soho at the St Moritz on June 26th – it’s all go… You see You are not alone …The painting is called Soho Queen” – I assume Anne means the painting on the flyer, those were her words just then. Wonder if she’s still pissed with me, had to cancel an interview we had scheduled a couple of months ago, something to to do with me landing in hospital to have people cut up my one good eyeball, she didn’t see this as a reasonable excuse to cancel and told me what she thought in no uncertain terms. Do love Anne and her commitment, her attitude, do love her art, anger is an energy. Information on this show or these events is at best rather vague, as it has been so far in terms of the recently opened space in Denmark Street (and they’re not good at responding either). At last, a bit of f**k off attitude, this is more like it, although the Denmark Street people, like their mates at 46 are maybe just damn rude or maybe too busy playing with their noses or something egg shaped who the hell knows? We have tried a number of times. What did become of Export/Import anyway and all that other stuff and well, here you go, go find Anne, we’ve told you as much as we know, ityt is probably the best art thing happening this week, I’m probably not welcome – The gallery is at 4 Denmark Street, just off Tottenham Court Road.  Anne on Instagram / the vague and not very helpful Farsight website.

2: Does Anything Else Under Heaven Really Matter? at D Contemporary – 30th May until 15th June 2024 (with an opening in 29th May, 6pm to 8pm) – “D Contemporary is please to present the group exhibition ‘Does anything else under heaven really matter?’ curated by Will Coups.” – This promises to be interesting, probably rewarding, D. Cotemporary shows often are. 

“Loosely taking influence from Giovanni’s Room, the exhibition aims to explore an LGBTQIA+ perspective on how we interact with our bodies, sex, and image within the wider world. By drawing inspiration from the themes and emotional depth of Baldwin’s seminal work, the exhibition seeks to unravel the complexities of identity and self-expression in contemporary society. It examines the often hidden interactions and subtle nuances of existence that define the LGBTQIA+ experience, decoding the myriad ways of being and understanding ourselves. Through five multi-diciplinary artists,  the exhibition focuses on expressions based on real life experiences and provides a platform for voices and stories that challenge conventional norms, inviting viewers to engage with the intimate and transformative aspects of bodily autonomy, sexual identity, and personal image. It encourages a deeper reflection on how societal perceptions and personal experiences intersect, shaping our understanding of authenticity and visibility in a world that frequently imposes rigid expectations and judgments

Kiarash Khazaei’s paintings depict a choreographed array of artifacts, accessories, and architectural elements that suggest identity and meaning are collage-like constructions. Infused with  an aura of eroticism and decadence, and loaded with codes and double-meanings, the works explore the intricacies of self-identity while celebrating moments of transformation. Drawing on literary precursors like Georges Bataille and Jean Genet, Khazaei evokes the pleasures and limits of a queer vocabulary. This vocabulary, often seen as a space of resistance through double meanings and codes, is expanded by Khazaei to incorporate major motifs from the art historical canon.

Navigating feelings of alienation and societal judgment, the exhibition delves deeply into tropes of loneliness and the complexities of the human condition within the LGBTQIA+ community. Through a diverse array of artistic expressions and narratives, it raises profound questions about what it means to truly belong. The exhibition examines the multifaceted impact of social and personal alienation on an individual’s life, exploring how these experiences shape identity, self-perception, and the quest for acceptance. By addressing themes of isolation, resilience, and community, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the universal desire for connection and understanding in a world that often marginalizes those who deviate from societal norms

The exhibition will showcase the work of Brian Dawn Chalkley, a visual and performance artist, storyteller and teacher. Formative in the trans community since the early 90’s, the artist is known for their performances as Dawn a leading role in London’s underground trans clubbing scene in the 1980s and ‘90s, a time when it was deemed unacceptable and perverse.

Alongside Chalkley’s works Theo Vasiloudes will revel in the contradictions of navigating intimacy in contemporary gay life. Using archival histories and ephemeral histories of personal experience, he  examines how cruising – the queer practice of finding casual sex in public spaces – has shifted in the context of digital life. Looking at the network of interactions facilitated by the semi-public space of Grindr, Scruff and other location-based hook up apps, his interdisciplinary practice interrogates the role these apps play in structuring and mediating relationships within the queer community in ways that are simultaneously empowering and alienating.

Hesi Glowacki creates compositions that imbue reality with elements of fantasy to indicate emotions and spirituality that underlie physical aesthetics. Glowacki’s work focuses on themes encompassing memory, otherness, and trauma, spanning influences from personal experience, religion, popular culture and fashion.Asking  questions about the role ritual plays in today’s experience and the nature of things and their transformation, hejuxtaposes the primitive with the contemporary and sets the cycles of deconstruction and repair placed on the borderline of fine art and artefact.

Elena Hoskyns Abrahall’s practice spans a wide variety of ideas and methods however they work predominantly in sculpture and performance, looking at themes relating to Gender, Identity Politics and Queer Theory. A narrative undercurrent often runs through their work, which they use as a framework for exploring a greater message or school of thought. Story-telling through performance and objects is key to Elena’s practice. Looking at the world through the lens of abjection, Elena uses this as tool for exploring their human experience. Whether it be through objects or performance, the bodily and the repulsive become excellent tools for exploring the dysphoric nature of the human condition”.

D Contemporary is found in the middle of the West End art gallery scene at 23 Grafton Street, London, W1S 4EY – The gallery is open Tuesday through to Saturday, 10am until 6pm (midday until 4pm on Saturdays). Does Anything Else Under Heaven Really Matter? runs from 30th May until 15th June 2024 (with an opening in 29th May, 6pm to 8pm).

3: Amy Beager, Slow Blink at Kristin Hjellegjerde (London Bermondsey) – Running from 31st May until 6th July 2024 with an opening on Thursday May 30th, 6pm until 8pm –  “In a series of vividly coloured, otherworldly spaces we encounter a woman and her cat, the boundaries between their bodies blurred to evoke states of transformation and interconnectedness”

“In a series of vividly coloured, otherworldly spaces we encounter a woman and her cat, the boundaries between their bodies blurred to evoke states of transformation and interconnectedness. Slow Blink, Amy Beager’s latest solo exhibition at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, was made in a period of grief, following the loss of her cat Ashitaka. Drawing on personal memories and fluctuating emotions, these tender paintings trace their relationship and Beager’s experience of mourning while also exploring our wider connection to nature and the spiritual realm.

While Beager’s compositions often refer to motifs from art history or specific mythological narratives, the colours, lines and textures develop through the painting process to conjure a dream-like world that is all her own. In this latest series, memories of Ashitaka playing and basking in the sunlight merge with references to famous cats from Hollywood films as well as paintings by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

My Beating Heart Sleeps, for instance, was inspired by the opening scene of the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the homeless cat Orangey who the lead character Holly, played by Audrey Hepburn, describes as ‘a poor slob with no name’. In Beager’s reimagining her own memories of Ashitaka transform the cat into not just a watchful companion, but an extension of the figure herself. A shared colour palette of warm pink and red with touches of luminescent green runs between the cat and the sleeping woman, evoking a deep, emotional connection. The creature’s translucency meanwhile gives it an other-worldly presence that we also see in Quiet Rage. In this painting, the cat is again keeping watch, perched on the neck of a supine figure whose blank gaze is unnervingly trance-like. Is she bewitched by the cat – a fearsome magical creature who bears its teeth and radiates light? Or is it a manifestation of her spirit, a guardian of the underworld?

This slippage between reality and the imagination or subconscious is characteristic of Beager’s work and connects her paintings with the Romantic tradition as well as with the Pre-Raphaelites. Growing Wings, for example, references Dante Gabriel Rosetti’s painting Beata Beatrix from c.1864–70. The painting depicts Beatrice Portinari from Dante Alighieri’s 1294 poem La Vita Nuova at the moment of her death. In Beager’s work the figure retains her saint-like status, bathed in a wide halo of light, but it is not only her that is transitioning to the afterlife: a cat lies on her lap, its head raised in a pose that mimics that of the figure. While the painting conveys a sense of serenity and stoicism, it is also a complex depiction of grief. Both the figure and cat are radiant beings, but also untouchable, already lost to the spirit world. For Beager, it illustrates the ways in which she has had to come to terms with the loss of Ashitaka (Japanese for ‘brighter tomorrow’) while also attempting to hold on to ‘his fullness’ and to honour his memory.

In A Heart’s a Heavy Burden, one of the show’s most emotive works,the cat’s presence is barely visible behind a burst of red paint in the figure’s left hand. In the other hand, she clutches a severed heart dripping blood. Here again, deep shades of red and pink are representative of both warmth and tenderness, but also violence and rage while brighter areas of yellow evoke a glimmering sense of hope that is connected with the spirit world, but also with the act of painting.

For Beager, as for many artists throughout history, making art is a form of healing and making sense. While these works make her pain visible, they also transform it by giving shape to her emotional experience and memories. This is what we encounter in the shifting forms, fervent swirl of colours, rich textures and sweeping brushstrokes: a world being made again.

Kristin Hjellegjerde (London Bermondsey) is at 36 Tanner Street, Bermondsey, London, SE1 3LD. The space is open Monday through to Saturday, 11am until 6pm. They are also rather good at the online thing if you are not able to make their shows, one of the gallery mailings lists it is worth being on.

4: Christiane Peschek, The Girls Club at Annka Kultys Gallery – Opening 31st May and running until 27th July 2024 (another pretty long show, I’d have five changes in that time, five times as many artists, five reasons to come back, don’t the get bored?) There is an opening on Friday 31st May midday until 6pm, not sure how that works, isn’t that just the gallery open as usual, still, one to drop in on on the way to see the not-to-be-missed Earth Ball play a secret outdoor gig at the bandstand at Arnold’s Circus at 6pm if like us, that is your direction of travel). Annk Kultys Gallery is one of the more consistently rewarding challenging art spaces of East London, true, we haven’t been that excited or even ignited so far by what we’ve seen in the space in 2024 but this one looks promising/challenging – “Austrian artist Christiane Peschek presents The Girls Club, a suite of digitally-manipulated selfies that reflect the uncanny powers of a femme face that refuses recognition”.

“Thirteen meticulously-crafted hand-dyed silk works mounted to aluminum frames are enshrined by a black vinyl wall installation that bears the phrase “The Girls Club”. The images, which are all characterised by deep-fried edits to a series of self-portraits taken on the artist’s iPhone, collapse the face into an abstract field of material data, one that can refuse the superstructures of capital and identity that augured it.

“Using silk as a carrier for my images is a reference to the human skin,” Peschek explains in an interview. “Its fragile and delicate characteristic is a beautiful contrast to the hard surface of the touchscreen.” With a background in advertising, the artist has a keen understanding of material driven affect, even while her work takes aim at larger social, cultural, and technological systems that underpin the consumption of images online. With The Girls Club, an ongoing project since 2019, Peschek focuses on the eternal quest for self-presentation within virtual social environments. Drawing on photo editing and retouching tools, Peschek merges her own selfies with an ever-expanding archive of imagery culled from various social media feeds.

Like many synthetic intelligence models including the generative adversarial networks (GANs) utilised to generate deepfakes—a digitally manipulated media that replaces one person with the likeness of another—Peschek’s girls are iterative, emerging from a source image that has been modified hundreds of times. The source image in question is the selfie; yet blurred beyond recognition, identity fractures and splits into multitudes.

In Peschek’s hands, the selfie becomes less a projection of the self than an abstracted “internet gaze” and a critique of the algorithmic beauty systems that undergird it. Aesthetically, Peschek’s work is something of a paradox: the soft and gauzy imagery belies the aggressive bordering on obsessive treatment of the image, often spawned from pushing an editing tool to its extreme by reapplying it up to a hundred times. In this militant spiral, a popular blurring filter—typically used to conceal blemishes and other imperfections—first enhances the beauty of the face before annihilating it altogether in a wash of abstraction. Here faces are atmospheres, split into their melted composite parts. Mouths appear as gargantuan grimacing slashes: Cheshire cat-like, sinister. Eyes are always shut and often flattened. Very rarely does a baseball hat or some other accessory enter the scene. The rest of the face evades perception, becoming landscape.

Enshrined by these digitally-rendered mutations and variations of the self, Peschek’s girls club is partially a series of self-portraits; equally depersonalised, the girl in question here is also all of us. This ideology echoes the argument of theorist Alex Quicho, whose essay “Everyone is a girl online” charts a new politics of “being girl”. Here, girl as collective consciousness (colloquially known as ‘girlswarm’) is both a recognition of the interlocking axes of power, desire, and capital laminated onto all of us (cis men, too, you’re also girls), and a polyvocal war cry for something beyond.

Within her practice, Peschek talks about the phenomenon of “becoming image”—this notion follows Quicho’s girlstack, where one may sub for the techno-armageddon in order to collapse the system from inside it. Returning to Olsson’s peak face, the author suggests that perhaps “defacing” the world may be a chance to rescue ourselves from the financialized weapon suite of the facial platform. Likewise, with the infinitely expanding swarm intelligence of Peschek’s The Girls Club—flattened icons who evade their own humanness as much as they reject the financialisation of e-femininity—we see a similar spirit of refusal.

“Soon, we might be able to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, earnestly, ‘Do we really need this?” Olsson proclaims his vision of a post-facial future. Peschek’s girls critically anticipate that mirror stage; these “supra-individual” portraits refuse the notion of the bounded self as much as they reject the genre of portraiture, ultimately delivering an exit strategy from the superstructures that got us here in the first place. To become unrecognizable is also to become ungovernable; to become girl, in Peschek’s distorted photographic image, is to become an edgeless swarm that critiques its confines while imagining worlds beyond representation.

The Annka Kultys Gallery is at 472 Hackney Road, Unit 9, London, E2 9EQ. No longer up those stairs above that shop on the main street, you now need to go around the back through the red gates to the small industrial estate behind the shop space, the gallery is to your left at the back in the darkness far corner. Do we still need ot say this? And who are those people in the old space, how unfriendly and unengaging are they? Art really can be aloof sometimes. Annka Kultys is one of the more friendly art spaces of East London on tope of everything else.

Previous Annka Kultys Gallery coverage on these pages (there has been rather a lot of it)

5: London Gallery weekend – That’s right, that time of year again, not really a recommended thing, more a passing on of the news and does anyone outside of the bubble notice or indeed care? On from Friday 31 May until 2nd June 2024 – Yeah I know, surely just the same as any other given weekend when you can walk into most galleries (as opposed to the big expensive museum shows) free of charge? What makes this weekend any different? Will the gallerinas actually smile and say hello in the East London spaces? Will they actually keep the opening hours they threaten on the gallery websites? Will they including anything artist-led or will it just be the self congratulating increasingly conservative London art establish and their placid pack of fawning pet critics celebrating each other? We’re told that “London Gallery Weekend is the world’s largest event of its kind and unique among global gallery weekend events in the breadth and diversity of its participating galleries. The event takes place over three days, each focusing on a different area of London. Free for all to attend, it provides an opportunity to discover and explore London’s world-class gallery scene, celebrating the city’s diverse cultural and creative communities. An extensive programme scheduled by galleries specially for the weekend includes talks, family workshops and special events. Our long-standing partnership with Art Fund allows for curators from regional art institutions across the UK to visit participating galleries as part of their bursary scheme” and well, blah blah blah, let’s see shall we, hope things are a little more exciting than the uninspired event graphics. Here’s the official website, tune in to these pages next week and see if we have anything to say, as you know, polict around here, on the whole, is to only cover things when we have something positive to say about those things….  

And while we’re here, the Mixtape No.7 on line show has been open for a couple of weeks now, so far it has been viewed just over 10,000 times by peopel from all over the globe… Next stop for Cultivate, a show in Crystal Palace, watch this space…

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