Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic, picks his top gallery exhibitions to see in London this Summer. If you are looking for more exhibitions, check out his previous top 5.
Carmen Mardonez: Chromatic Solace at TM Lighting
A giant woven piece, based on the colours she has observed in nature, dominates the space. It’s so large that the artist had to work on it in sections and didn’t know what it would look like before it was fully unfurled. She uses discarded domestic textiles such as bedsheets and clothing, all of which carry memories and lived experiences. While also recognising that weaving and textiles have always been associated with women’s work and therefore sidelined in art history until recently. Until 26th June.
Lisa Jahovic: Soft Interruptions at Flowers Gallery, Cork Street
Water on fire, six faucets stacked on top of another, and a woman contorted within fabric, striking uncomfortable poses under and over a chair. Lisa Jahovic takes the everyday and morphs it into the absurd and humorous in her surreal photography. Until 7th June.
Paola Pivi: A girl loved pearls so much she left engineering, strung them off the wall, and made art at Massimo de Carlo
Kick off your shoes, wander all over the colourful carpet, and gaze at the pearl-like constructions on the walls. It’s fun, but there is a personal side to this exhibition, and the hint is in the title: Paola switched from science to art, and something as playful as this feels like a cathartic release. Until 20th June.
My Lady Nicotine at Bompas & Parr
Glasshouse Studios Is smoking still glamourised in the art world, even if that sheen has fallen away in most other sectors? Paintings and textiles by contemporary artists explore this glamourisation of cigarettes to ask these questions, and it is an important discussion that is often swept under the rug in the visual arts sector. Until 19th June, booking required (free).
Darcey Fleming: (Extra)ordinary at 99 Bishopsgate
Pink threads appear to be pouring out of the walls in these fantastic sculptures that Darcey Fleming weaves from used baling twine she finds out in the countryside. They almost feel alive, and it’s a striking contrast to the clean lines of the corporate lobby it’s housed within. It’s also a sign that we should fill every office building with art, as they always look better. Until 31st July.
All images are courtesy and copyright of the respective artist and gallery. Carmen Mardonez image: David Owens Photo. Darcey Fleming image: © twobytwo.
