James Freeman Gallery, 354 Upper Street, The Angel, London N1 0PD
www.jamesfreemangallery.com Instagram @jamesfreemangallery
Founded in 2003, James Freeman operates with invariable good cheer in Islington – conveniently close to the London Art Fair, in which he is a prominent presence each January. He describes the gallery’s mission, with unusual clarity, as exploring ‘contemporary approaches to historicism, presenting artists who combine current tendencies with art-historical references and research.’
Past shows have realised that clearly enough through, for example, digital collages by Emily Allchurch which reimagine Bruegel’s ‘Seasons’ paintings from 1565; Liane Lang’s ‘Glorious Oblivion’ works derived from statues of historic women; Iain Andrews paintings inspired by Dante; and – bringing the history closer – Gill Button revisiting aspects of French New Wave cinema of the 1960’s. Shows typically address a clear theme, such as ‘Brutes’, on the beauty and menace of nature; ‘Medieval Eyes’ with four contemporary artists who keep the flame of the ‘Dark Ages’ alive in their work; and ‘Unreal’, exploring non-factual use of photography. Others I’ve enjoyed at the gallery include Andy Harper, Suzanne Moxhay, Juliette Losq and – perhaps the signature artist – Carolein Smit, whose ceramic sculptures ‘reference mythology, religious iconography, and art history to explore the contradictory themes of beauty and mortality’ – ticking all the gallery’s boxes.
Currently you can catch the best mixed Christmas-themed show I’ve seen this year. ‘Deep Midwinter’ finds gold, fire, and ritual in one of Zatorski + Zatorski’s internally gilded rats, Chantal Powell’s delving into archetypes, and Helen van Meene’s flaming bath – achieved by the cunning placement of candles – as well as work by Smit, Moxhay and four others.
London’s gallery scene is varied, from small artist-run spaces to major institutions and everything in between. Each week, art writer and curator Paul Carey-Kent gives a personal view of a space worth visiting.
