Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic, picks his top 5 art exhibitions to see in London in late February. If you’re after more shows, check out last week’s top 5 where most remain open to visit.
Lauren Halsey: emajendat @ Serpentine Galleries, South
Welcome to Lauren Halsey’s ‘funk garden’ with plants, multi-coloured animal statues and hundreds, if not thousands, of items with African diaspora symbolism – including objects underneath the glass floor. It’s overwhelming, immersive and a whole lot of fun. Until 23rd February.
Albano Hernandez: Trash / Value @ Palmer Gallery
Hernandez’s work is based on the cattle industry in Central Spain and one wall is made of ear tags from cows showing the wear you’d expect on them. They create shadows to reference the dead cows and the line through the tags signifies the global growth in the cattle industry. His other works are more playful, taking residue from his studio to create slices like processed meat and placing them in vacuum-packed bags and around a spindle to resemble shawarma. Until 22nd February.
After Leonora: Echoes of Surrealism @ Gillian Jason Gallery
This exhibition of all female artists is all about the surreal, with works by Leonora Carrington and contemporary artists inspired by her art. It results in Carrington prints and sculptures alongside exciting contemporary artists including the hyper-real clinical paintings of Emily Pope and the amorphous sculpture of a figure with lots of flabby folds by Daisy Collingridge. Until 26th February.
Charly Helyar: General Situation @ TACO
Based on her experiences of being a paramedic these illuminated paintings cover an entire shop front. They’re both intense and moving as they cover love, resilience and survival in turbulent time – something we can all identify with right now. It’s lit up from within to shine a light on these works, so it’s best seen after dark. Until 23rd February.
Ryan Mosley: Heavy is the Mountain @ Josh Lilley
Cowboys, musicians and pearl divers are some of the characters in Mosley’s paintings in his muted colour palette, inhabiting the dreamy world he’s constructed around them. With lots of references to art history, it’s where you should head if you want to see an impressive painting exhibition. Until 22nd February.
All images copyright respective artist and courtesy respective gallery. Lauren Halsey photo: © Hugo Glendinning. Gillian Jason Photographer: Timothy Haccius.
