An ambitious exploration of what is shaping contemporary art today, the exhibition ‘What Are You Looking At?’ delves into the myriad inspirations permeating today’s creative minds.
Set within the unconventional backdrop of a repurposed office space in Central London, this dynamic show invites artists and curators to share a more intimate aspect of their process: the artworks, other artists and influences that currently captivate their attention. Participants are asked to submit 3-6 images that are sparking their creativity at this moment. These could range from the tree they stare at from the window of their studio, to classical masterpieces that have stood the test of time, or screenshots from the last series they streamed.
The evolving nature of ‘What Are You Looking At?’ is perhaps its most compelling feature. Each contributor not only offers insight into their personal practice, but also serves as a nomination for the next group of participants, allowing the exhibition to grow organically over its eight-week duration. This process ensures a richly diverse tapestry of influences, showcasing a wide array of periods, styles, and mediums as seen through the eyes of contemporary artists.
By revealing the fluid dynamics of what today’s artists are looking at, this exhibition challenges the notion of art as an isolated endeavour and instead highlights the rich, communal soil from which inspiration blossoms.
‘What Are You Looking At?’ unveils the currents of inspiration through a reflective and immersive lens. It serves as a reflective prism, through which the diverse influences animating today’s creative minds are both illuminated and explored, weaving a cohesive narrative of the currents shaping modern art. The exhibition will engage visitors with a programme of public events, and is also open by appointment.
The first week of the exhibition saw the contributions of over 15 professional artists and curators, each bringing a unique perspective to this compelling artistic conversation. These included: Natasha Arselan, Margaux Bonopera, Kristina Chan, Pallavi Gupta, Naira Mushtaq, Cyrus Mahboubian, Marie Obegi and Piero Tomassoni, with many more to come during the run of the show.
What Are You Looking At? is curated by Marie Obegi.
What Are You Looking At? – 12th May 2024, Hobhouse Court, Whitcomb Street
Mid-Exhibition viewing April 25th 6-8PM
Exhibition open by appointment
About the curator
Marie Obegi is a French-Lebanese artist and founder of Maison Pan. She graduated from THe New School Parsons in New York with a BFA in Illustration in 2013. She then went on to complete a Masters in Liberal Studies from New School for Social Research, focusing on aesthetics, psychology and philosophy.
Marie’s work questions how we connect both with ourselves and with others. She experiments with the figure and storytelling. Materiality, narration and savoir-faire are some of her most pressing concerns in artistic creation.
After living in Kyoto, Japan, where she primarily worked with woodblock carving and Mokuhanga printing, Marie craved a better ecosystem for artists founding Maison Pan, an informal artist residency in Beirut and artist-run space in London. For Marie, Maison Pan underscores her belief in the power of peer-to-peer interaction and her dedication to creating strong, supportive networks for artists.
Now based between London and Beirut, she focuses primarily on painting. @marie_obegi
