Subject Object at Terrace Gallery, East London, August 2026 – Thursday night in East London was once such a thing, which opening to head for first? There were so many options on any given Thursday evening, well not just Thursdays, any given evening in what was once a playground full of artistic possibilities. East London was exciting, you knew you were probably going to see something good almost every time you went out, if you weren’t rewarded at the first show you went to then the second or the third would satisfy. Those days are long gone, these are desperate times, art pickings are slim, spaces have gone, artists have had to go, the new breed of gatekeepers think art starts and finishes with social media and well, I need some art tonight! Forced myself out of the studio and off to the West End earlier today, well I wanted to see that wonderful David Dawson painting one more time in that show at Flowers Gallery before their Summer group show comes to an end. Besides that show at Flowers, Cork street and the surrounding area were at best underwhelming; closed down out of business galleries, closed for the Summer break signs, nothing that exciting or provoking or anything that much really to be found in the galleries that were actually open, a walk around does usually throw up something, nor this time, some of it was truly dreadful. I need a decent art fix!
At least East London’s Terrace Gallery has made a slight return over the last year or so. A throwback over by Haggerston Station, the kind of place that was everywhere around these East London parts fifteen or so years ago when Thursday nights (and most nights) offered so much. Tonight the opening of a show at the small space looks to be the only show in town and I (really) need some art. There’s a group show opening, a couple of artists I really like, a Lee Maelzer painting, as we have said many times on these pages, is always worth seeing in real life, I really like how she uses paint, I like the things she says with her paint, the things she continues to address and well let’s take the short walk from our Hackney bunker and see if Subject Object can off what we need before the day is over?
“Subject Object brings together thirteen artists’ responses to a shared proposition: The physical object considered as both a subject of representation, and the artwork as an autonomous, individuated surface in its own right”
The artists involved are Melanie Ahmed, Louis Bristow, Mikey Cuddihy, Tinsel Edwards, Lee Holden, David Leapman, Sarah Lord, Lee Maelzer, Heather McAteer, Patrick O’Sullivan, Jon Ridge, Christine Stark and Peter Suchin and before I say anything else, the most important thing is that there’s some good art here, some interesting painting, some intriguing objects. Now if only we knew who had painted what!
The small DIY flavoured white cube of a room that Terrance Gallery now operates out of is not great should you wish to swing a cat (why would anyone want to swing a cat?). Besides a couple of artists who’s style is immediately recognisable, I have no idea who has created what in here? What is wrong with a simple label for gawd sake? What is wrong with just a little bit of information? No sign of anything, no map, no list, no nothing! Who painted what!? There’s probably one of those annoying QR code things hidden somewhere that assumes everyone has a smart phone and if they do then they want to use it in a gallery? If there is a QR code then it is probably hidden behind one of the many bodies cluttering up the small space chatting and taking no notice what so ever of the art on the walls! Hey, there’s a great big yard right there, just move ten feet and take your gossip over there! Get out of the damn way! Don’t just stand there right in front of the art refusing to move so others can see it, don’t just (almost arrogantly) stand there full of your self importance talking about what Peter said in the pub last week or what a waste of space Tracey Emin really is and oh, that’s my painting over there. You can’t help but hear these things as you try to politely elbow people out of the way when really you don’t want to be anywhere near polite about it. This really annoying, there’s must be a list of work somewhere? Surely a floor plan pinned up on the wall somewhere? What is wrong with a small label, did the idiot tell you it wasn’t cool when you did your curating by numbers post grad course? Who the hell painted that one over there?! Almost annoyingly there’s some really interesting work in here that I want to put a name to, I really want to know more! Opening nights are pretty much nothing more than social events, the art at these things is almost an afterthought these days, why not just open the room, put some overpriced warm cans of beer and some cheap red wine of sale and not actually bother hanging any art? Would any of these people notice if that was to happen?
Normally I’d just walk away and not say anything, normally I’d just leave it. I’ve walked away from so many London exhibitions, opening nights and such in the last year and not bothered to write about them. I really should know by now that the few East London openings that there are these days are pretty much a waste of time going to and not because of the art as much as the damned annoying people who just turn up to stand in the way and gossip. Thing is the art at this one is worth covering, it is worth being bothered about, it is me worth taking up my time and space covering it, it is worth you going in the next few days if you can (be bothered). There are some really interesting pieces in here, artists we might like to find out more about and Just get out of the damn way with your tedious chat. Would it hurt you to just move your gossip into the damn yard? It wouldn’t have taken more than twenty or so steps and there’s so much space out there waiting to invite you and your chat, you could stand there fore hours talking shit rather than doing it right in front of the art. Just get out of the damn way and let us see the damn art we’ve made the effort to some and see! Ah there’s the damn QR code, someone has been standing with her back up against it holding court for the last fifteen minutes and frankly I really can’t be arsed now. I detest QR codes at the best of times and right now I’m well past the point of giving two shits about any of this. If the artists or the gallery can’t be bothered with communicating then why the hell should I be bothered about taking any of it seriously? Which is a shame because there are several pieces in here worthy of everyone’s time and yes, this is a good show and there are things to take seriously and if you have a smart phone (and eyesight good enough to see it) then yes, it is worth going to check Subject Object out…
And with that I’m off, off past that yellow dollar symbol still spray painted on the the brick work just up from the gallery, past one of the few Stik pieces still surviving in this once Stik-rich part of town, past that locked up Space Pop Up art space on Mare Street that is hardly ever open because no one other than the occasional fashion brand can afford their ridiculous hire prices or deal with their unreasonable rules and time frames that contradict those every annoying “London Needs Artists” signs in their windows, past so many places where are once happened, Good to see Terrace back, let’s hope that someone over there remembers that art galleries and spaces are mostly about welcoming people in to actually explore and experience the art, to engage with it rather than just be left feeling alienated by the whole unwelcoming experience, that is surely is about more than hanging out with your bubble of mates and getting in the way…
What is the point of a group show like this? Surely one of the main points of an artist-led group show like this is to simply say hey, look at these interesting artists you might like to go find out more about? Surely telling us who has painting what is a basic thing? This is a good show, a well curated show, a well hung show, the show as one whole works really well, the conversations between the pieces. Shame about the lack of labels, shame about the artists and their mates just standing in the way of their art gossiping about nothing much, damn shame really. Worth you going to, not sure if I can be bothered to go back… (sw)
Subject Object is open now and runs to 23rd August. Open Sat – Sun 12 – 6pm or by appointment. Terrace Gallery is hidden down the alley beneath the train line by the railway bridge at 4 Frederick Terrace, Haggerston, Hackney, London E8 4EW. Find it just a short walk from Haggerston Overground station.
Previously…
Do as always, click on an image to see the whole thing or run the slice show. I guess I could spend an hour or so on Instabloodygram trying to figure out who painted what but hey, if they can’t be bothered to label their work why should I? (actually I will later when the painting light has gone, I want to know even ifthey can’t be arse if we want to know or not. And yes, I know it is a pain inte arse putting labels on things, been there, done that a couple of hundred times now, we don’t just talk it, curating a show takes time and effort…)
THE ORGAN 