Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic, picks his top 5 art exhibitions to see in London. If you are looking for more exhibitions, check out his previous top 5.
Hrair Sarkissian: Stolen Past at Ibraaz
Enter a darkened space with 48 plinths. Look inside, and you’ll find images of objects that used to be housed in the Raqqa Museum in Northern Syria. The museum was looted by the so-called Islamic State, which destroyed or sold the items on the black market. The collection of 8,000 objects has been reduced to 880, and these 48 represent items that are missing. It’s a haunting reminder of what’s been lost. Until 24th May.
Alessandro Mendini at Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
Chairs covered with spotty or jagged designs, sculptures composed of blocks of colour. It’s a vibrant exhibition and the perfect Spring show to brighten up our days. I didn’t know much about Alessandro Mendini before I saw the exhibition, and I’m now a fan. It’s a great chance to see these jazzy creations by the designer and architect. Until 10th May, ticketed.
Michael Raedecker: Placebo Drive at Grimm
Cars and billboards are both symbolic of the roads we travel as we venture further into nature, as the remaining manmade objects visible are encompassed by flora. There’s a great texture to these works, a mixture of print, painting and stitching that allows us to be fully immersed in these almost post-apocalyptic visions. Until 18th April.
Erwin Wurm: One Day Yes / One Day No at Camden Art Projects
Plants are wearing trousers, embodying Wurm’s trademark subversive sense of humour. While upstairs, visitors are invited to create one-minute sculptures by balancing marker pens on their shoes, a lot harder than it looks, or to pin items between two persons to create a delicate, short-lived sculpture. It’s bizarre, and a lot of fun. Until 26th April.
Mood Swings by Teaspoon Projects at Norito
A collection of ceramic cats, some teeth inside an old Polly Pocket case, and a whole load of sparkles. This joyous group show took me to this first-floor space for the first time, and I always enjoy discovering a new gallery space. The exhibition uses Britney Spears as its departure point; in that case, feel free to hit me, baby, one more time, and hopefully it will be another one, which will be a case of “oops, I did it again.” Until 22nd April.
All images are copyrighted and courtesy of the respective artist and institution. Ibraaz photo: Ollie Hammick.
