Here we go then, even further into a busy art year already, we’ve explored most of Condo, we’ve been to the monster that was the London Art Fair and apparently ruffled a few feathers. there’s been some good art shows already, especially Taylor Silk’s Soft Domme opening night at East London’s Wilton Way Gallery, that was so much more than just playful fun…
On with another Five Art Things thing, on we go and never mind the bliss or whatever we said last time. 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 as we repeat ourselves. 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: Laurence Watchorn, Echoic Vision at The Bomb Factory Shoreditch – “The Bomb Factory Art Foundation is pleased to present Echoic Vision, a solo exhibition by Laurence Watchorn, running from the 30th of January to the 16th of February at our pop-up gallery on Kingsland Road in East London. This body of work explores the relationship between sound and vision, while inviting a reconnection with the natural world. Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung’s concept of “the spirit of the depths,” Echoic Vision reflects on the mystical and numinous aspects of existence”.
“Watchorn often works at dusk, as his studio begins to lose light. In this transitional moment, his process becomes instinctive, guided by echoes of memory and intuition rather than sight alone. This approach resonates deeply with the exhibition’s themes, where the fading of clarity becomes a metaphor for embracing uncertainty and rediscovering a new way of seeing. The artworks, created on un-stretched canvases fitted with eyelets and hung on metal hooks, move away from rigid geometry to embrace softer, more organic forms. Described by the artist as “floor-bound wanderings,” these evocative pieces feature biomorphic and code-like structures alongside poetic and symbolic elements, striking a delicate balance between chaos and order. Employing oil paint, pastel, charcoal, oil stick, and collage, the artist’s process blends intuitive mark-making with deliberate craftsmanship. Through the application and removal of paint, the works achieve a translucent, ethereal quality, embodying an interplay of control and natural forces. The compositions use sound, frequency, colour, rhythm, symbols, and text to engage with the viewer, evoking an animistic connection to the world. At its core, Echoic Vision examines how we perceive and communicate, questioning the boundaries of language, the resonance of symbols, and the potential for re-enchantment with the environment. Influenced by British rock art, alchemy, occult philosophy, psychology, and ancient history, the exhibition reflects on humanity’s desire for rigidity and order, the degradation of the natural world, and what lies beyond our material identity”.
The Bomb Factory Shoreditch is at Pop-up Gallery Space – 4 Kingsland Road, E2 8DA. Dates: 31st Jan – 16th Feb. Times: Thurs – Sun, 12-6pm
2: Alice Neel, At Home: Alice Neel in the Queer World at Victoria Miro Gallery – from 30th January until 8th March 2025 – “When she died in 1984, Neel had a great number of masterpieces to her credit, a galaxy of masterpieces, I would say, that bear witness to the terror we usually turn away from, having no language for it, namely alienation, disconnect, love”. – Hilton Als
“Victoria Miro is delighted to present At Home: Alice Neel in the Queer World, curated by Hilton Als. The gallery’s ninth solo exhibition of works by the celebrated American painter further extends an ongoing exploration of aspects of Neel’s work and its continuing relevance today. One of the foremost painters of the twentieth century, and among its most radical, Alice Neel (1900–1984) is known for her daring honesty in her pursuit of what she termed ‘the truth’ – of the individual and the broader society in which individual lives were lived. At Home: Alice Neel in the Queer World highlights the artist’s career-long commitment to depicting the human condition and her practice of painting people from many walks of life”.
Victoria Miro is found at 16 Wharf Road, London, N1 7RW. The gallery is open Tuesday until Saturday, 10am until 6pm. The show runs from from 30th January until 8th March 2025
3: Karma II from Jason Haam Gallery at No. 9 Cork Street a four artist show featuring Jihyoung Han, Jungwook Kim, Mike Lee, Moka Lee – January 31st until February 15th, 2025 with an opening night preview on Thursday 30th January – “Jason Haam presents a third exhibition at No. 9 Cork Street. Located in Seoul, Jason Haam is an international contemporary art gallery founded in 2017 with two exhibition locations. Since its founding, the gallery has been dedicated to introducing the works of prominent international artists to Korea and promoting emerging Korean talents to a global audience. This exhibition is generously funded by the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS) under the Korean government with a mission to promote Korean artistic talents in the cultural capital, London” which in turn probably all sounds a little mainstream for us to be covering but hey, Organ art coverage is all about the art not the business and the work of all four of these artists, especially Moka Lee did rather excited us at East London’s Carlos/Ishikawa Gallery a couple of weekends ago – Exploring this year’s Condo London Pt.1 – We’re East at Soft Opening, The Approach, Erin M. Riley at Mother’s Tankstation, Moka Lee at Carlos/Ishikawa Gallery, Liam Gillick, Jason Haam Gallery and lots more…
A #43SecondFilm of Moka Lee at Carlos/Ishikawa Gallery, as part of Condo London, January 2025
This exhibition is organized as four solo presentations within a singular exhibition. As you enter the exhibition, the works displayed on the right wall are by Jungwook Kim. The pieces on the left wall and the front wall are by Jihyoung Han. In the transitional space leading to the second room, a new work by Mike Lee is featured. Finally, the second room is dedicated to the solo exhibition of Moka Lee
No. 9 Cork Street is rather obviously at No. 9 Cork Street, London, W1S 3LL. The space is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am until 6pm. The rather friendly Jason Haam Gallery all four artists can also be found at East London’s Carlos/Ishikawa Gallery as part of Condo until 15th February. The Organ Condo review is here – Exploring this year’s Condo London Pt.1 – We’re East at Soft Opening, The Approach, Erin M. Riley at Mother’s Tankstation, Moka Lee at Carlos/Ishikawa Gallery, Liam Gillick, Jason Haam Gallery and lots more…
4: Philip Sutton, Making History Dance at Twilight Contemporary – from 30th January until 8th March 2025, with an opening evening on Thursday 30th Jan (6pm until 11pm) – “Twilight Contemporary is incredibly excited to present Philip Sutton RA withMaking History Dance, a solo exhibition of paintings inspired by William Shakespeare. A contemporary of Evan Uglow, Michael Andrews, and Craigie Aitchison, Philip Sutton is a member of an influential generation that emerged from the Slade School of Art following the Second World War. This remarkable cohort broke free from the bleak, drab post-war gloom, disregarding the rigid formalism of their teachers. Instead, they infused the grey halls of the Slade School of Art with vibrant colour and energy, which infected the art scene of the swinging 1960s”.
“Making History Dance is an ode to Sutton’s influence today and powerful ability to bring history into the present, to make history sing and dance. His glorious use of colour and energetic mark-making resurrects scenes from Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V,’ Elizabethan England, France, and the Battle of Agincourt alongside humorous and theatrical self-portraits. With instinctive ease, Sutton exhibits works depicting swelling moments of tension, the chaotic confusion of battle, and the simplicity of everyday farm and country life. This is an exhibition inspired by Shakespeare and running wild into the realms of the magical and wondrous.
Sutton’s Shakespearian journey began with an invitation and call for help from architect Theo Crosby and American actor Sam Wanamaker. Wanamaker could not believe that London did not have a Globe Theatre, so he enlisted Sutton’s help to create posters advocating for its reconstruction and eventually to exhibit a body of work at the theatre’s grand opening. Despite being initially daunted by how to grapple with such a seminal figure, you will notice Sutton quickly revelled in the freedom the theatrical gave him.
It is Twilight Contemporary’s great privilege to exhibit one of the UK’s most accomplished post-war artists. His work is as young, and relevant today as ever, reminding us all of the joy and wonder a painting can bring”. Curation & words by Sam Hanson.
Twilight Contemporary is at 378 Essex Road, London, N1 3PF. The gallery is open on Wednesday 11am until 5.30pm and Thurday through to Saturday, 11am until 11pm. The space is a gallery by day and a cocktail bar in the evening should you feel like inviting me along for a drink when you go to check the Dance out. The show runs from 30th January until 8th March 2025, with an opening evening on Thursday 30th Jan (6pm until 11pm)
5: Lee Edwards, Absence is Presence at Domobaal – 1st Feb 2025 until 8th March 2025 – Domobaal is delighted to present Lee Edwards’ third solo exhibition in the gallery: ‘Absence is Presence’. A group of six meticulous A6 drawings on paper emanate from an artist’s residency at Shiro–Oni in the town of Onishi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, that Lee took part in last Summer. Immersed in and surrounded by the hilly wooded landscape, these works present a direct response both to place as well as to the disconnect from his familiar surroundings and relationships.
Domobaal is found at 3 John Street, London, WC1N 2ES and is open Tuesday though until Sunday, 10am until 6pm
Previously
And if you are enjoying or at least making use of all the non-stop art coverage (and indeed suppport of your shows and galleries you artists and curtators) then….
DONATE – We bring all this art, music and underculture to you for free, we really don’t want to clutter up our pages with annoying adverts, no one wants that, but it does take up a lot of time, hours and hours of time. If you should feel like supporting Organ and making a small donation to help keep all this flowing that would be delightful, thank you.
THE ORGAN 