Doug Foster 21st January-19th February 2011 @ the Lazardes Gallery

In the Naughty Chair is Dough's first solo exhibition in the Lazarides Gallery. The atmosphere in Lazarides Rathbone Gallery reminds me of an underground scene, dark and daunting, with attention drawn to human experiment. This exhibition showcases Doug Foster’s renowned video and installation art, part of human psyche, which Foster has been fascinated by for some time now.

In the piece In The Naughty Chair, the emphasis is on the steel chair, which at first might look like an electrical chair. Called Brainwasher, with straps on each side the concept is inspired by its illegal use during the Cold War by the CIA. In the space the Brainwasher is accompanied by a video of symmetrically floating liquid, where the soundtrack enhances the sinister mood.

Forster’s installations are rigid, intense and emotionally immersive. His depiction of The Herectics’ Gate is inspired by Dante’s vision of hell, an entry to Sixth Circle where heretics die. The video painting is attractive and has this magnetic vibe that could possibly hypnotize viewers. The symmetrical flames, with colors varying from caramel beige to soft red, reflect a liquid being poured to the prominent echo.

An earlier work, a massive chamber Breather portrays a video through stereoscopic viewfinder. Inside there is depicted a tank where a female character breathes and then dives. The viewer engages and goes on a journey with her. Slightly lower, underwater, she gives air to a handsome male. The context that they are naked creates a soft erotic mood. While she shoves gracefully up again, the gorgeous male keeps staring at her body.

The most breathtaking construction is Frozen, a video installation depicting a cryonic preservation of seven individuals. It is so real and devastating that the notion of individuals’ presence or future does not cause a concern. Next to it is the actual set of a freezer assembled to the wall with chains on the side, like it should be.

Foster’s work is magnificent. The interactive installations are engaging with viewers’ conscious and perception. Simply encouraging the viewer to plunge in.

All images courtesy of the artist and Lazarides Gallery

Photography by Ian Cox

London Art Fair

18th January-23rd January

This year’s London Art Fair is the biggest yet, bringing together the finest modern and contemporary artworks from 31 US, Europe and Britain. Likewise, Art Project and Photo50 will engage viewers with projects, notable for the current economic state and conceptual art.

It is the 23rd year for the London Art Fair with visual art experts presenting guided tours, talks and discussions about the artworks on show. Look out for the outstanding works by Glaswegian art collective duo littlewhitehead and Lisa Barnard’s documentary photography series ‘Maggie’ - taken from Barnard’s current series 32 Smiths Square are discarded snapshots of Margaret Thatcher after she became Prime Minister.

Each of the galleries’ spaces embodies a vision, where emotions, journeys and stories merge. The sculptures by Rachel Schwalm generate a vibe that haunts every viewer. While very figurative and conceptual artist, Anthony Green, reflects the inspiration he gets from everyday life. Lynn Chadwick’s solid sculptures magnetize with its expressive and refined shapes. Then again Katharine Morling’s miniature collection reflects Alice in Wonderland narrative in a pure and untainted way.

A contemporary photography showcase Photo50 features 50 works, all for sale, by nine established artists. Each artwork is nominated for its unique context, focusing on identity, landscape and popular culture. Besides photography, Art Project’s key characteristics and concepts are remarkable installations, which often vary in the use of mediums.

Go for little wander down yourself, The London Art Fair runs until the 23^rd January at the Business Design Centre in Islington. For more info go to www.londonartfair.co.uk

Photography: Katre Laan

by artist Zak Ove

by artist Katharine Morling

by artist Rachel Schwalm

by artist Lynn Chadwick 'Sitting Figures'

by artist Julio Rondo

by artist Geraldine Gliumbislavich

Annual Members Photography Show

until 28th January 2011 @ Photofusion

Second Thursday night of December at Photofusion gallery was an opening night for annual members photographic show. Editor of a photography magazine HotShoe, Miranda Gavin, selected the winner of the competition. “It was a difficult decision,” she said between Odette England, the winner, Vikram Kushwah and David Gopsil.

One of the runners ups, Vikram Kushaw whom recently graduated from Rochester University presented his latest project Ofelia, with strong emphasis on uncanny feeling. He said, “it is good to see my work exhibited as it gives me faith that people like my work.” The Indian photographer Kushwah was pleased with the results, and is now preparing for an up-coming exhibition in Barcelona in the beginning of next year.

Gavin, editor in chief of HotShoe magazine, was honored when first approached and asked to select the winner. She described that “she was evaluating the process in three stages and it was not easy”. Photographers had traveled for inspiration to exotic locations such as Madagascar and also documented local London scene. The gallery co-coordinator Gavin Evans was saying she “wanted also a representation of different genres”. Adrian Wood, a part of the board of Directors added that to the main body that “the idea also was to showcase the diversity of the membership scheme”, when selecting the 14 photographers from first 100 submissions.

The winner Odette England who was not present but receives the Hotshoe Photofusion Award, an annual subscription to HotShoe magazine, a single-page feature and interview with Gavin in the February issue of the magazine.

The exhibition is showcasing Photofusion members ongoing or recent body of work until 28 January next year. The keynotes judges looked at were simplicity, texture, and concept in the diverse selection of artworks.

It is organized annually second year now within membership scheme, photography practitioners from various backgrounds. Works ranged from vivid urban city collages to snapshot style portraits taken with latest iPhone. Publics vote favorite will be announced in the end of the exhibition.

http://hotshoeblog.wordpress.com/

http://www.photofusion.org/gallery/photography/exhibitions/current/default.htm

Byroglyphics 'Subsidiary' @ Signal Gallery

exhibition open until 11th Dec

Evocative is the word that comes to mind when admiring artist Byroglyphics’
piece 'Departure Lounge'. Yet, what is it that makes his work so magnetic? Is it
 the subject matter, the colour palette, the brush strokes, or the concept of the 
artwork as a whole? 

Currently on show at the Signal Gallery in Hoxton, the collage-type painting is
 part of Byroglyphics’ experimental collection, ‘Subsidiary’ an exhibition which
places work like ‘Departure Lounge’ alongside contrasting pieces of art to evoke
a unique kind of thought process.

Being Byroglyphics', aka Russ Mills’ second
 solo exhibition, he is this time around using his background in illustration and
animated film making to push the boundaries even further, using the freedom of
the digital medium to its fullest.
‘Subsidiary’ establishes a good mix of drawing and collages, applied through
 various technical forms to emphasize the depth and profound darkness suggestive
 of Mills’ subject matter. Additionally, the extreme use of shaded dark acrylic
adds intensity and character to his already powerful and suggestive pieces, many
 of which depict portraits of appealing female figures that seem to emit an
immensely challenging image.



Many of Byroglyphics pieces carry with them accompanying titles which are just
as thought provoking as the works themselves. For example, listed among
antidepressants, ‘Desipramine’ and ‘Sinequan’ perhaps omit the same sense of
euphoria as Mills is trying to capture in the images these titles represent. His
strong brush strokes fulfil the artwork’s multi-dimensional potential, while the
accompanying drawing-effect forms lingering subtle emotions within each image.
The confidence and sex appeal in the subjects’ appearance emphasises this
aforementioned magnetism, especially in the portraits illustrated on Chinese
 comic pages.


‘Subsidiary’ proves why Byroglyphics is a remarkable talent in the urban art
scene, drawing in people’s attention with his personal fascination for one’s
‘inner demons’. Unusual are his artistic features which combine distinctive
looks from the animal kingdom with realistic human figures. Perhaps striking but
not surprising, the majority of his exhibited artwork this time was marked sold 
by the second day of the exhibition.

Photographs provided by Signal Gallery

Departure lounge

Black Rat Projects present "Small Acts of Resistance"

4th November – Tuesday 30th November 2010

Vibrant, lively, and even a little surreal are a few ways to describe the latest pieces by six worldwide artists at the Black Rat Projects' Gallery. Focusing upon the struggles within society, the exhibition's artists have 'urbanised' fine art, making each piece truly innovative. Through a diverse range of mediums, each artist encourages viewers to take a second look and uncover the varying portrayals of social resistance in each piece.

One artist, Matt Small, uses his art to reflect everyday native people in a vivid and powerful way. The size of his sculptures draws you in, but it is the way Small represents a nation in such a noble way which is most captivating. Featuring alongside Small is New York artist Swoon whose enormous installation of a disaster on mixed media adds a different dimension to the exhibition. The image of the small boy featured in Swoon's piece catches the observer's eye, and helps highlight the enormity of the disaster surrounding him.

Other artists involved in the 'Small Acts of Resistance' exhibition include Peter Kennard, whose love for photomontage speaks for a new era of social struggle. His collaborative project with Tarek Salhany focuses on an obscure layering composition based upon a newspaper surface, giving the black and white portraits a hidden emotion which as viewers we try to uncover.
Danish artist Armstock's simple yet profound drawings also depict this sense of hidden emotion and resistance. As if the artist is one step ahead of us as viewers, the rough charcoal conveys the medium while allowing an observer to try to uncover and envisage the scene more vividly. The central focus of Armstock's work is interaction; between the work and the viewer, and between tension and conflict, encapsulating the theme of social struggles.

Know Hope is an Israeli artist whose work pieces together a combination of white birds, white flags and raindrops. His focus is on producing a kind of non-linear narrative in his work to establish a connection between art and the social environment it is created within. This direct connection between art and social environment is also dealt with by DotMasters who in a sense expose humankind by using their work to confront the prominence of vandalism in society. A selection of scenes from CCTV frames illustrates the violence occurring in current society, something which shocks viewers but also acts to inspire resistance and encourage more creative talent on the street.

Photography by Black Rat Project Press Office

'@earth/civilians' by Peter Kennard with Tarek Salhany

'Feebled (With Humbled Hearts But Unable Limbs)' by Know Hope

'Saved Chewe' by Matt Small

'Haiti' by Swoon