Photo by Dan Sumption
First Thursdays 6 th Nov 08
Redchurch Street saw eight shows which threw a lot of art against white walls for the now extremely popular night out for Londoners known as first Thursdays.
But being the east London free for all art scene, only some of it stuck. The shows of note were definitely Sean Mcklusky’s (Neu Galleries) four week performance ‘SEEN’ kicking off with SCUM (named after the shooters of Warhol). A hanging crowd watched the band setup in the gallery from outside only for the shutters to be pulled down just before they played, but not many felt that the set up was infact the start of the performance, the band were good and people let them know from far down the street.
The rave generation poster show ‘Our History’ relied on a pre nostalgic crew who thought that the late eighties nineties wasn’t that long ago. The venue was great and the production was good, all to sell prints to a discerning and enjoyable throng of grown up party people.
Martin Sexton made the best one person show of the three on the street, and with old Camelot same as new Camelot, titling the show had fun with his parallel ley lines drawing myth and modern to some personal conclusions that work if you believe that sort of thing. He definitely had the edge over David fortune, who out of a space to hang five prints, only had one that convinced me.
Jago gave up their walls to the obscurities group, the show didn’t grab me even though I wanted it to. Some shows missed the art barn door so much it is unfair to mention them.
It remains that there is a large scope of art out there and a lot of free wine, so enliven your gauge for the quality of art, and kill your palette. First Thursdays, see you Dec 4th, East.
